Himachal Pradesh: BJP counters Congress's 10 guarantees ahead of state polls

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 1 : A day after the Congress party in Himachal Pradesh gave 10 assurances that it would fulfil on coming to power, the Bharatiya Janata Party countered them by saying that those who will never form a government are trying to woo voters with guarantees.
Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj addressing media in Shimla said, "The Congress party has given 10 guarantees to the people of Himachal Pradesh which it would fulfil on coming to power. The Congress should tell whether the guarantees which Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is giving to the people of Himachal have been given to the people of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan."
He also stressed that these political leaders from outside have given assurances and are not even aware of issues in the state.
He also highlighted that some of the Congress party's guarantees are such that the BJP government has already implemented them.
"The BJP government is providing health services in villages through mobile health vans. Congress is talking about buying cow dung and their leaders are making fun of drinking cow urine (gowmutra)," he added.
Seeking to woo the people of Himachal Pradesh ahead of assembly polls in the state later this year, Congress announced 10 guarantees including the restoration of the old pension scheme for employees, Rs 1500 monthly financial assistance for women between 18 to 60 years, creating five lakh jobs and 300 units of free electricity, earlier on Wednesday.
The guarantees were announced by state Congress chief Pratibha Virbhadra Singh in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and AICC incharge of Himachal Pradesh Rajiv Shukla.
Baghel, who is a senior party observer for Himachal Pradesh, said they will implement the announcements if the party comes to power and the party does not resort to "jumlebaazi".
The party has also given a guarantee of fair price for crops and fruits, Rs 680 crore start-up fund, mobile clinics, quality education with English medium schools in assembly segments and buying 10 litres of milk from locals who own cows and buffaloes besides purchasing cow dung for Rs 2 per kg.
"Today 10 guarantees have been launched by the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee Board. We will implement these 10 guarantees. We are not the ones who do 'jumlebaazi'," Baghel said.
Attacking Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and BJP, Baghel alleged that the ruling party in the state treats welfare measures as "rewaris".
"The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh is saying certain things can't happen and these days there is a discussion going on about 'rewaris'. They won't let anyone do anything and the public welfare schemes will also be stopped because (for them) public welfare schemes are rewaris," he said.
"People should have faith in Congress. Unlike BJP we deliver what we say. The guarantees that we have made are also the demands of the people of Himachal Pradesh and are important for the development of the state," he added.
Referring to Chhattisgarh, Baghel said there are schemes for people of every section.
"The central government has imposed high inflation on the people. Our party will focus on how to increase the income of people. Chhattisgarh has the lowest unemployment rate, we have schemes for people of all classes. Everyone should have a right to the state treasury. We have given these 10 guarantees because we believe that the money should not be with only a few people," he said.
He accused Bharatiya Janata Party of seeking votes "in the name of cow" but not initiating welfare measures for cattle.
"We have done it and it started in Chhatisgarh. We have all kinds of schemes on how to provide employment."
Baghel also said they do not make promises that they cannot fulfil.
"Chhattisgarh workers' Rs 17,000 crore are deposited with the central government since 2004, which we are asking them to return. We are not begging. It is our right. It is our workers' money. So, we are not making any promises that we can't fulfil," he said, adding that they will implement schemes in Himachal as they have done in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Rajiv Shukla also emphasised that the party will fulfil its promises.
"It is an important day today. Congress is known to fulfil what it says. The moment we win the election and our CM takes oath, they would immediately sign the files for the implementation of the promises we are making," he said.
"We have done this in Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. We are not like BJP. We don't make promises that turn out to be 'jumlas'. They never implement their promises. We have launched 10 guarantees that we will deliver to the state," Shukla said.
Pratibha Virbhadra Singh said they had come up with 10 guarantees after witnessing the "pain and miseries" of people.
"We will keep them in our manifesto. We will implement the old pension scheme and create 5 lakh jobs," she said.
She also assured that the elderly people will be taken care of. "
The guarrantees of Congress are being considered the mini-manifesto of the party.
Party leaders ratap Singh Bajwa and Alka Lamba were also present.