Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi release Common Minimum Programme – Here are the SP-Congress alliance's 10 commitments

In a joint press conference in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi released a list of 10 commitments to the people of the state.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday released a Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance's Common Minimum Programme (CMP) to the people of the state.

In a joint press conference in Lucknow, the leaders released the list of 10 commitments to the people of Uttar Pradesh.

The programme includes the following:

1. Free smartphones to youth and skill development training for 20 lakh youth so that they can get employment 
2. Loan waiver to farmers, reduction of power tariff for them, and proper remuneration for crops
3. Rs 1,000 monthly pension scheme for 1 crore poor families and meal at Rs 10 to the urban poor
4. 33 percent reservation to women in government jobs and 50 percent reservation in Panchayat and local bodies elections
5. Electricity, water, and roads to all the villages in five years
6. Free cycles to all girl students and meritorious students of class IX to XII and meritorious students
7. Free homes to over 10 lakh poor dalit and backward families
8. Four lane roads connecting all districts and metro in six main cities
9. For the minorities and backwards, it promises representation in ratio to their population in all the welfare schemes
10. Police modernisation and phased expansion of Dial-100 service

"We want a young and visionary government for Uttar Pradesh," Rahul Gandhi said.

"In the two and a half years (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has failed. Demonetisation, surgical strikes are avoidance tactics," Gandhi said.

Akhilesh Yadav said: "If Modi visits Agra-Lucknow Expressway even he will vote for SP-INC."

"At least Samajwadi people practically give shape to what they say but some others only do 'mann ki baat' but 'kaam ki baat nahi karte'... They do not say in rallies and in districts what are the achievements of their government," Akhilesh said.

"(They say) two families have entered into an alliance... I will say that two youths have come together it is the alliance of SP and Congress...," he stressed in response to a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment in this regard.

"These are ten steps to development worked out by the two parties on which Congress and SP will work on coming to power in future," Akhilesh added. 

To a question on whether this alliance will remain intact in the future too, Rahul said, "This is also an alliance of joint vision. We have not come together just for forming a government in UP but also to transform the state."

Reality is that the voters understand that the alliance is going to sweep these elections and change Uttar Pradesh, he said.

To a question on "lack of coordination" in the alliance, especially on certain seats where both parties are in contest, Rahul said, "On 99 percent of 403 seats there is no problem and issues are being resolved on the remaining seats...We are fighting elections together...It is wrong to say there is no coordination in the alliance."

Notably, both the parties have already released their manifestos.

Compulsions of realpolitik made Samajwadi Party and Congress seal a pre-poll pact last month to contest the UP Assembly Elections together and thwart BJP's attempt to storm back to power after 15 years.

While SP will have the lion's share of 298 of 403 seats, Congress will contest the remaining 105.