Chhattisgarh Assembly Election: Amit Shah Releases BJP's 'Sankalp Patra'

Raipur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday released the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election manifesto for the poll-bound Chhattisgarh in the presence of state party leaders in the state capital Raipur. While releasing the election manifesto, Shah said, "We are presenting the manifesto of Chhattisgarh today... Our manifesto is not just a manifesto it is a resolution letter for us." The Union Home Minister further said, ''I assure the people here that we will make Chhattisgarh a fully developed state in the coming five years."

#WATCH | On releasing election manifesto for Chhattisgarh elections in Raipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "I assure the people here that we will make Chhattisgarh a fully developed state in the coming five years." pic.twitter.com/CbRNHEfVRF

— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2023

The senior BJP leader said, ''In the past 15 years, Chhattisgarh has transformed from a 'sick' state to a prosperous one. Elections are on the horizon once again, and the people of Chhattisgarh are looking for change. We are committed to making Chhattisgarh a fully developed state. The BJP has successfully worked to eradicate Naxalism from Chhattisgarh. It became the first state to guarantee nutrition. Chhattisgarh now provides 150 days of employment under MGNREGA. We have also distributed free laptops and tablets to students.''

The Home Minister stated that in tribal-dominated Bastar, where establishing colleges was quite challenging, the BJP has worked to set new standards for education, just as it did in Dantewada. 

Mounting an attack on the ruling Congress, Shah said, ''However, over the past 5 years, we have only witnessed corruption in Chhattisgarh. I have visited the state 10 times in the last 3 months and have spoken with various sections of society. There is a common sentiment that change is imminent in Chhattisgarh this time. We have made promises with a sense of responsibility.''

The event took place at the BJP state office in the Kushabhau Thakre complex. Besides Amit Shah, Chhattisgarh BJP's state in-charge Om Mathur, state president Arun Saw, and former Chief Minister Raman Singh were also present.

Earlier taking a swipe at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Shah said that he is a 'pre-paid CM' of Congress and that the validity of his talk time has ended. "If Baghel becomes the Chief Minister again, then thousands of crores of rupees will be withdrawn by swapping the 'pre-paid' cards daily," Shah said while addressing Vijay Sankalp Maharally in the Pandariya Assembly constituency.

According to party sources, the BJP's election manifesto promises housing for the poor, regularisation of contract workers, and schemes similar to Madhya Pradesh's 'Ladli Laxmi' for Chhattisgarh. 

Education, healthcare, security, and employment guarantees are also expected to be crucial points in the manifesto. The party has received nearly 200,000 suggestions in preparation for the manifesto. Arun Saw, the state president of the BJP, stated that the party would release the manifesto soon.

The BJP earlier claimed that their manifesto would reflect the aspirations of the people of Chhattisgarh, addressing issues such as comprehensive development, improved living standards, and economic progress for the state. The manifesto will cover all these aspects, reflecting the hopes of the people of Chhattisgarh.

In the run-up to the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly elections, the Congress has made 17 announcements so far, including loan waivers for farmers, loan forgiveness for women's self-help groups, a Rs 500 subsidy in gas cylinders, and the establishment of new industries for youth, along with school education.

These announcements are part of the Congress's effort to woo voters.

The elections for the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases, with the first phase of polling for 20 seats scheduled on November 7 and the remaining 70 seats to go for polling on November 17. The counting of votes will be done on December 3.

Congress stormed to power in Chhattisgarh in the 2018 elections, winning 68 out of 90 seats. The party had a vote share of 43.9 per cent. BJP won 15 seats and had a vote share of 33.6 per cent