Loan waiver, sops for women: Congress may rely on its Telangana-Karnataka card

MUMBAI: Farm loan waiver, bigger govt health insurance and schemes focussed on women, farmers and youth are likely to be part of Congress manifesto that will be released by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in LS Rahul Gandhi at an MVA rally at BKC on Nov 6.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray will be present at the rally. Congress is likely to assure voters that Mahayuti govt’s Ladki Bahin Yojana providing monthly financial assistance to eligible women would not be discontinued. With the Mahayuti banking on the welfare schemes it had launched in the run up to the elections, Congress is likely to rely on the promises and programmes that helped it win Karnataka and Telangana assembly elections. In Telangana, Congress had declared loan waiver up to Rs 25 lakh for farmers, Rs 25 lakh health insurance, and time-bound plan for filling vacant govt posts, while in Karnataka, party had launched the Gruha Laxmi scheme, which is on the lines of Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Meanwhile, maintaining that the alliance was intact, AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala said there was no dispute over the seat-sharing formula. “There will be no friendly contest in the state and MVA will secure a clear majority,” he added. In Telangana, Congress had declared loan waiver up to Rs 25 lakh for farmers, Rs 25 lakh health insurance, and time-bound plan for filling vacant govt posts, while in Karnataka, it launched Gruha Laxmi scheme on the lines of Ladki Bahin Yojana.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi will hold a joint rally at Bandra-Kurla Complex on Nov 6, where All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge and Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will release the grand old party’s poll guarantees, AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala said on Wednesday. On Nov 6, Kharge and Rahul will address the Samvidhan Sanman Sammelan in Nagpur in morning, and will address MVA’s joint rally at BKC in the evening.

Maintaining that the MVA alliance is intact, Chennithala said there is no dispute over the seat-sharing formula. Accepting that in some of their constituencies, alliance partners have also filed nomination, he was confident that they will withdraw them after discussions with senior MVA leaders. “Talks are in progress with Samajwadi Party leaders and we are expecting a decision in a day or two. There will be no friendly contest and MVA will secure a clear majority,” Chennithala said.

From media, he added, it appears there is complete confusion in Mahayuti over seat sharing as BJP has fielded candidates in seats held by Shinde’s Sena and Ajit’s NCP, marking beginning of BJP’s move to eliminate these two parties.Launching a frontal attack against Shinde-led Mahayuti govt, Chennithala said it is “one of the most corrupt govts” in the recent past.