The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Tuesday unveiled its election manifesto with some populist schemes such as a free washing machine plus a smartphone to every woman and 500 square yards of open plot and 100-year health insurance coverage for all families.
Former IPS officer and the party’s Telangana president R.S. Praveen Kumar, making a presentation at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendra here, announced that the BSP would make youth and student leaders ‘shadow ministers’ if it comes to power. From women to students and overseas workers to the transgender community and the unemployed, the party has come up with specific plans in an attempt to garner their support.
Accusing the BRS government of making the people of Telangana to get addicted to the “90 ml” culture, the BSP State chief said he aimed at giving every family of the State a package of a 100-year health/medical insurance cover. Appealing people to stop consuming liquor and terming it “poison” , he said the BSP government would smash all ‘belt shops’ (selling liquor unauthorised) in the State.
Questioning Telangana Minister for IT K.T. Rama Rao as to what he did for youngsters to make use of the knowledge era, Mr. Praveen Kumar announced that his party would make coding and artificial intelligence compulsory subjects for students of Class 8 to Class 12. Arguing for a case of healthy Telangana, the police officer-turned-politician said his government would provide sports shoes and smart watches to every ‘runner’ intending to be physically fit.
BSP’s manifesto liberally showered promises for women. The party promised that 33% of its Cabinet would be women. Free training in driving two and four wheelers and free 5G internet for members of woman self help groups were among them.
Taking a dig at the BRS government “for failing to conduct foolproof job recruitment tests”, Mr. Praveen Kumar said he would wind up the Telangana State Public Service Commission if the BSP was voted to power. Promising revolutionary changes in land management schemes, he said even Dharani portal would be shut.
Challenging BRS government to reveal how many of the big contract works were awarded to persons from oppressed sections of society, he promised that the BSP government would ensure that members from the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes and minorities get a good share of such contract works.
