The much touted Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) manifesto announced on Sunday by the party President and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao is a clever bid to trump the six guarantees promised by the Congress party last month.
A close look at the promises shows that the BRS leadership tried to woo the electorate by enhancing the financial assistance to the targeted group.
For example, the Mahalaxmi guarantee given by the Congress promises Rs. 2,500 to eligible women while the BRS manifesto has hiked it to Rs. 3000. If the Congress intends to provide domestic LPG cylinder at Rs. 500, it would be provided at a cost of Rs. 400 by the BRS.
The BRS even outshine the Congress by increasing the financial dole to the farmers and tenant farmers. The BRS intends to increase Rythu Bandhu from Rs 10,000 per acre per year to Rs. 16,000 per over the next five years by increasing it by Rs. 1000 every year from Rs. 12000 in the first year. This is Rs. 1000 more than the Congress guarantee of Rs. 15,000.
The social security scheme Aasara is again an area where the BRS wants to pip the Congress party. Though Congress has said it will give of Rs. 4000 per month under the Cheyutha scheme, the BRS assured Rs. 5000. To begin with, each Aasara beneficiary will get Rs. 3000 in the first year BRS forming the government. This will gradually touch Rs. 5000 in the fifth year.
BRS copied Congress manifesto: Revanth
Reacting to the BRS manifesto, TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy said the KCR had blindly copied the guarantees by only enhancing the financial assistance. “This clearly shows he has lost the capacity to think and conceive ideas. This proves that the BRS and its chief are no more in a position to question us,” he said.
He ridiculed that the BRS, which made fun of the Congress guarantees, is now aping the same. “This exposes its bankruptcy,” he added.
Asserting that the lacklustre BRS manifesto was a clear indication that the Congress party would come to power, Mr. Revanth Reddy challenged KCR to come to Martyrs memorial on October 17 and take a pledge.
“Let both of us take a pledge that we will not spend money or distribute liquor to the voters in the elections. Similarly, also you should ensure that the Government pensioners and Aasara beneficiaries get their pensions on November 1 itself,” he said.
BRS manifesto is our trump card: Harish Rao
The BRS Minister T. Harish Rao said the party manifesto was a firm assurance to the future of Telangana. “Our manifesto is clearly our trump card and we are on our back for the third term,” he said. Another Minister from the party, A. Indrakaran Reddy, said the manifesto gave a ray of hope for the targeted sections in the State.
