Congress UP manifesto focuses on unemployment, reservations

The Congress party today released its election manifesto for the state of Uttar Pradesh. While the BJP played up the issue of the Ram temple and minority quota, the Congress party has made fighting unemployment its main agenda. Congress leader Salman Khurshid said, that if voted to power, the Congress party would work to tackle unemployment in the state, and promised to generate nearly 20 lakh jobs. Earlier in the day the BJP had promised that they would generate 5 lakh jobs if they came into power. “The issue of employment generation is linked to the issue of developing required skills and education,” Khurshid said, adding that the party would establish institutions that train in vocational and skill development. [caption id=“attachment_195878” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“There is a need to rationalise reservation policy, to ensure dalits and girijans get newer opportunities, Khurshid said. Reuters”]  [/caption] Speaking on the controversial issue of reservation for minorities Khurshid said, “Congress is the only political party in the country that is committed to social justice”. He went on to add that if voted to power the Congress party would ensure that minorities, dalits and girijans get their due and that opportunities are provided to ensure their social movement. “There is a need to rationalise reservation policy, to ensure dalits and girijans get newer opportunities,” he said. With regards to agriculture Khurshid said that Uttar Pradesh is an agriculture dependent state and in the past farmers haven’t got their dues. He said therefore that new land acquisition reforms, being worked out at the centre would ensure that farmers recieved their dues. He also spoke about the need to bring in reforms in the agriculture sector to ensure that agriculture remains viable. “Terms of trade will have to be tilted towards agriculture, and the new land acquisition bill will work towards that commitment,” he said. Reiterating Rahul Gandhi’s claims for a strong Lokpal, Khurshid said, “The Congress is committed to the cause of fighting corruption. We will ensure that pending cases in the courts will be disposed of at the earliest.” The Congress is engaged in an aggressive campaign across the state of Uttar Pradesh, led by General Secretary Rahul Gandhi. The party is hoping to win a substantial number of seats in the state. In the last elections the party won just over 20 seats out of the 4o3 seat assembly.