BJP vows to keep focus on growth

Ruling party promises more jobs; cites Crisil report which puts state on top in terms of GDP growth in past 5 years

AHMEDABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its vision document for Gujarat elections, reaching out to other backward classes (OBCS) and other sections of the society but skipping the contentious issue of reservation for Patidars.

The ruling party’s document — named Sankalp Patra (Resolution Letter) — promised to maintain the high growth rate in the state under its rule and laid a thrust on continuity in terms of welfare and development schemes, without making any extravagant promises like the ones made by the Congress in its manifesto.

Releasing the manifesto just a day before the first phase of polling, Union finance minister and BJP’S election in-charge for Gujarat Arun Jaitley dismissed the opposition party’s promise of reservation for Patidars as “constitutionally not possible” and said that social polarisation in the state would only damage it. The Congress has promised special reservation for economically backward non-reserved classes, a demand made by Patidar leader Hardik Patel.

“Other promises (of the Congress) are also not financially viable. Congress looks at financially improbable concessions. Against the state’s revenues of ₹90,000 crore, the party has promised additional financial concessions worth ₹1,21,000 crore. The party has also promised to waive (farm loan) ₹20,000 crore. That means the revenue will drop to ₹70,000 crore.”

The opposition party’s manifesto offered a lot of sops and doles —unemployment allowance for the youth, farm loan waivers, and a reduction in fuel and electricity prices, among others.

The BJP’S document pledged to build a ‘New Gujarat’, on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘New India’ that would be free of poverty, and communal and caste divisions.

It promised a two-fold increase in funds for the Thakor and Koli Development Corporation, in an apparent bid to counter the Congress party’s attempt to woo OBCS. Alpesh Thakor, a vocal OBC leader, joined the Congress recently and is drawing impressing crowds in his meetings.

The BJP’S manifesto promised to double agricultural income, an increase in the pension amount for senior citizens and widows, interest free farm loans, water supply to every farm, strict implementation of recently made laws including cow protection, and stricter rules and fee regulation for private schools. Other promises included the setting up of industries to generate employment, assistance for higher studies, a special fund for women empowerment, pucca houses for the poor, affordable canteens and healthcare services for labourers, among others.

For economically backward classes, it promised to continue scholarships and committed to creating new jobs.

Speaking at the launch of the document, Jaitley said the BJP government’s performance spoke for itself and cited a Crisil ratings agency’s report which put Gujarat on the top among the States with highest GSDP growth in the past five years.

“This was a time, when there was no boom globally or in the national economy. In the past five years under the BJP rule, Gujarat has recorded 10% average growth rate – the highest among large states. No country in the world is growing at this rate. Even China’s pace of growth has reduced to 6.5%,” he said.

The BJP’S document was released a day after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took a dig in a tweet, saying, “The BJP has shown unbelievable disrespect towards the people of Gujarat. Campaign is over and still no mention of a manifesto for the people, no vision and no ideas presented for Gujarat’s future.”