Cong committee hands over draft manifesto for Lok Sabha polls to party chief Kharge

NEW DELHI, Mar 6: The Congress’ manifesto committee on Wednesday handed over a copy of the draft manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence here.

The draft manifesto was finalised by the panel members after lengthy deliberations. The panel headed by former union minister P Chidambaram handed over the draft to Kharge, in the presence of committee members Shashi Tharoor, K Raju, Gurdeep Sappal and Imran Pratapgarhi.

Seeking to woo the country’s youth ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress will for the first time offer them the “right to employment” as part of its poll promise for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and is mulling stringent punishment to those responsible for paper leaks in examinations.

In the manifesto, the party would also propose a stringent law and punishment against those responsible for paper leaks in the country and will suggest measures to bring transparency in government recruitment.

Top party sources said the promises will be part of the Congress manifesto’ which is likely to be finalised once the Congress Working Committee approves it.

The measures proposed in the draft manifesto come after Rahul Gandhi during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ focussed on the plight of lakhs of students due to frequent paper leaks and cancellation of exams thereafter, like in Uttar Pradesh.

The thrust of the draft manifesto is on the “Paanch-nyay” (five pillars of justice) promised by the Congress during the Rahul Gandhi-led ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, sources said.

The party manifesto would also focus on a legal guarantee to minimum support price and a caste-based census in the country for filling up the government vacancies. It is also likely to give thrust on some welfare measures like providing financial assistance to marginalised sections of society and ensuring that they get justice and be part of the state welfare measures. (PTI)