In the run-up to the general elections, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on May 28 (Sunday) released the seven-point party manifesto during the closing ceremony of the Mahanadu, the annual party conclave, organised on the outskirts of Rajamahendravaram.
Addressing a mammoth gathering, Mr. Naidu said the seven promises were: ‘Maha Shakthi’, ‘Thalliki Vandanam’, ‘Yuvashakthi’, ‘Annadatha’, access to drinking water, Act for BCs, and Vision 2047.
“This is the first of the two-part manifesto for the next Assembly elections. The second part will be finalised by Dasara. I am prepared to receive feedback on the manifesto,” said Mr. Naidu.
Under ‘Maha Shakthi’, Mr. Naidu said, “A monthly financial aid of ₹1,500 will be given to every woman in the 18-59 age group. The aid, titled ‘Adabidda Nidhi’ (woman’s fund), aims at empowering women and makes them financially strong.”
Under ‘Thalliki Vandanam’, he said, “An annual financial aid of ₹15,000 will be given to every mother without any prerequisite. Three gas cylinders will also be supplied free fo cost annually. Women will be allowed to travel free by APSRTC buses.”
“People having more than two children will be allowed to contest the local body elections by withdrawing the existing norms,’ he added.
Under Yuvashakthi, he said that “a target has been set to create 25 lakh jobs by connecting them to the global economy. A sum of ₹3,000 will be given to the jobless youth per month.”
Similarly, under ‘Annadatha’, the TDP promised an annual financial assistance of ₹20,000 to every farmer. Mr. Naidu said a policy guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) would be brought out, and steps would be taken to prevent farmer suicides.
As far as the promise of ‘access to drinking water’ is concerned, Mr. Naidu said, “Every household will be provided access to drinking water at their doorstep within a stipulated timeframe.”
On BC welfare, the TDP supremo said, “A special Act will be brought out to protect the Backward Classes from atrocities and attacks. As many as 54 Special Empowered Committees have already been constituted by the TDP, and these committees will be consulted before enacting the Act.”
Referring to the ‘Vision 2047’, Mr. Naidu said, “Every rich man will be asked to adopt one or two poor people. By 2047, India will emerge as a global power. By then, 35% of Telugu people will be in corporate governance and administration across the globe. Making the poor rich is possible with such achievements.”
“Until now, you (Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy) have seen my soft side. In the future, I will not tolerate and will not let anyone who harassed our cadres go scot-free. We will not leave the political rowdies until awarding them stringent punishment,” Mr. Naidu warned.
“Many have attempted to damage the TDP. However, none of them succeeded till date,” he added.
“The farmers have instilled confidence in our party for the capital city of Amaravati, for which 29,000 farmers parted with 34,000 acres of land. We have completed 72% of the Polavaram project. All these projects have been reversed, bringing development to a grinding halt,” Mr. Naidu said.
