SP’s registration campaign for 300 units of free electricity from today
LUCKNOW: In a sequel to his promise of free power to consumers if the party came to power in the 2022 UP polls, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav said on Tuesday that the party would launch a door-to-door campaign from Wednesday to register domestic consumers for up to 300 units of free electricity in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. He said through this campaign, the party would be taking its free power promise to the people.
To recall, on January 1 Akhilesh had announced that if the SP formed government in 2022, then it would give 300 units of free electricity to domestic users and free power for irrigation to farmers.
“The decision is a very important for the people of UP. Many people faced problems of bills, inflated bills and harassment over bills. The SP is going to launch a door-to-door registration campaign for the scheme. So those who currently have domestic power connection and want to avail the 300 units’ free scheme, should fill in the exact name as mentioned in their power bills or ration cards”, he said at the press conference at the party’s state headquarters in Lucknow.
Akhilesh announced the registration campaign’s name as ‘Naam likhao abhiyaan: teen sau unit muft paao; naam likhao, chhoot na jao (Registration campaign: Get 300 units free; register, don’t be left out)”
When asked about the relevance of the registration at the level of the party when it was not in power, Akhilesh said: “The relevance is that we have to take our promise to the people. In a democracy, in an election, we are taking to the people what we want to convey to them. How will our candidates take their issues to the public? We want to go with this issue door-to-door when campaigns and big rallies are a no-no due to the restrictions and rules by the Election Commission. We are waiting to seek permission for the Vijay Rath whenever the restrictions end. Even if it means riding alone on the rath, I will do it.”
The SP chief said that 300 units of free power to domestic consumers and free power for irrigation to farmers would be the “number one promise” in the manifesto that would soon be formally released.
Party cadres would get the forms filled in a door-to-door campaign tomorrow onwards, he said and added that soon online registration process too would be launched.
Speaking on the SP’s manifesto for the upcoming elections, Akhilesh said it had taken into consideration the suggestions of the general public and various sections such as doctors, traders and farmers.
Among other poll promises, the Samajwadi Party has announced ₹25 lakh to the families of farmers who died in the farm agitation, minimum support price on all crops, interestfree loans, insurance and pension to farmers, ₹5 lakh to kin of cyclists who die in road accidents and ₹5 lakh to kin of those who die in bull attacks.
When asked about the manifesto release date, Akhilesh said: “We will release our election manifesto after the BJP releases its manifesto. Let the BJP tell the people how and when they doubled the farmers’ income as they had promised in their 2017 manifesto.”
Elections to the 403-seat Uttar Pradesh assembly are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting February 10.
Polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.