Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Cong starts preparing Lok Sabha manifesto

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes.com

OUTREACH Starts a dedicated website, Whatsapp number to seek public feedback

NEWDELHI: The Congress on Monday kicked off its 2019 Lok Sabha elections manifesto preparatio­n process by seeking public feedback through a dedicated website and Whatsapp messaging service. All the suggestion­s will be incorporat­ed into the poll document.

Launching the website — www.manifesto.inc.in — former finance minister P Chidambara­m said the broad theme of the manifesto was ‘Jan Awaaz (Your Voice)’.

The move to seek suggestion­s from the public on the various issues to be incorporat­ed into the “people’s manifesto” is a practice followed by the grand old party since 2014.

The manifesto contains promises, programmes and policies of the party for the next five years, if voted to power.

“We will ask, encourage and motivate people to tell us what they expect from the Congress party when it comes to power,” Chidambara­m told a news conference while launching the website. Flanked by party colleague Rajeev Gowda, he said a 22-member manifesto committee has been constitute­d. This has been further divided into 20 subject groups.chidambara­m said the Congress president himself had suggested on many occasions that the party’s manifesto will be framed on the basis of its conversati­on with people. “The suggestion­s can be submitted in 16 languages. There is also a dedicated Whatsapp number and email for the people, organisati­ons, students’ bodies, women and other groups to give their inputs,” he said.“we hope that millions of Indians will participat­e in the feedback process.” In all, there will be 160 consultati­ons in 70-80 locations across the country till the finalisati­on of the draft manifesto in December this year or “He (PM) is a wonderful magician who works for rich people. In the name of a fight against black money he got black money of the rich converted into white...”

January next year. Lok Sabha elections are due in April-may 2019. The consultati­on process started on October 1 in Nagpur and so far 31 such interactio­ns have been held across the country. Some of the subjects included in the document are farmers’ issue and agrarian distress, youths, jobs, women and child developmen­t, education, economy, industry, urban affairs, matters related to armed services and retired defence personnel, healthcare, defence and security

Pooja at Mahakal temple Public meeting Public meeting “Corruption is their religion. At the local level people have to pay money for everything whether it is a ration card or something else”.

issues, environmen­t, foreign policy apart from art, heritage and cluture, according to Congress leader Gowda.

“The theme of this entire manifesto consultati­on process is - your aspiration­s shape the future of India, your voice inspires the change and the Congress is listening to you,” he said. After compiling the inputs, we will lay out a draft and submit that to the Congress working committee before the manifesto is finalised and released,” Gowda said.

“Rahul Gandhi is welcome in Madhya Pradesh. His visits will help BJP get more votes”.

“So far we have seen on social media that Rahul Gandhi is a non-serious and immature politician....”

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