BRS criticises BJP manifesto for lack of substance

BRS senior leader and former Minister T Harish Rao highlighted ten key areas where the BJP's manifesto fell short of addressing the needs of the people.

Hyderabad: Criticising the BJP manifesto for the 2024 parliamentary elections, the BRS slammed it for being filled with mere sloganeering and lacking concrete promises.

BRS senior leader and former Minister T Harish Rao highlighted ten key areas where the BJP’s manifesto fell short of addressing the needs of the people.

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In a statement on Sunday, Harish Rao stated that despite widespread demands for farmer loan waivers, the BJP manifesto remains silent on this crucial issue.

The manifesto was a disappointment for many States which were seeking national project status for construction of major irrigation projects with the Central funds in their respective States, he said.

“The manifesto overlooks demands for income tax exemptions for the middle class. The BJP fails to promise tax exemptions for workers and artisans, ignoring their contributions,” he said, pointing out that despite previous promises to create two crore jobs per year over last 10 years, the BJP had failed to implement it.

The party now offers no clarity on job creation, leaving the youth disappointed, he said.

The former Minister stated that the BJP manifesto also does not mention increasing reservations for backward classes, disregarding resolutions passed by several State Legislative Assemblies and Councils.

The demands for SCs and STs classification remain unaddressed, while no concrete assurance was given to increase the 50 per cent reservation limit for effective implementation of reservations on population basis.

Harish Rao said major cities like Hyderabad received no assurance for special grants, hindering their growth.

He reminded that six major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru are economic growth engines for the country and need adequate financial support from the Centre to propel their growth to a higher level.

He also criticised the BJP for finding fault with the States offering welfare programmes to the marginalised sections terming them as ‘freebies’, but was now offering free ration rice, free housing and free healthcare among others in its manifesto.