Assembly Elections 2022: Priyanka Gandhi launches Congress manifesto for UP polls, promises 20 lakh govt jobs

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched the party's manifesto 'Unnati Vidhan Jan Ghoshna Patra-2022' for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

"The Congress party believes that the people of Uttar Pradesh deserve a government that puts the development and well-being of people at the center of its agenda. The people of the state need such a political system that can bring positive changes in their lives. UP Congress's Unnati Vidhan will prepare the way for this," said Priyanka Gandhi.

"Cases filed against journalists will be abolished and those who are lodged in jail illegally will be released. Five additional seats will be added to the Legislative Council for groups such as craftsmen, weavers, farmers and ex-servicemen," she said.

Congress general secretary said that all suggestions for the manifesto have been taken from the people of Uttar Pradesh.

According to the Congress manifesto, students from SC and ST communities will be provided free education from kindergarten level to postgraduation. Reservation in the promotion will be given to government employees belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Kol community will be given tribal tribe status. Further, the salary of cooks in schools will be increased to Rs 5,000.

The manifesto promised a compensation of Rs 50 lakhs for COVID warriors who lost their lives in the pandemic. Adhoc teachers and Shiksha Mitras will be regularized on the basis of experience and rules.

The manifesto said financial assistance of Rs 25,000 will be provided to the families affected by the COVID epidemic.

The party in its manifesto promised 20 lakh government jobs. It said the backlog of 12 lakhs vacancies will be filled in the public sector including police, healthcare and education. Apart from this, eight lakh more jobs will be given. The party promised to back small enterprises and declare them as clusters.

The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP had won a landslide victory, winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly.

Samajwadi Party bagged 47 seats, Bahujan Samaj Party won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.

(ANI)