Is Congress Trying to Create a Himachal-Like Situation in Haryana? Guarantees Spark Concerns

The stage is set for the upcoming elections in Haryana. On one side, Congress is offering 7 key guarantees, while on the other, the BJP has introduced a 20-point manifesto.

As the two primary contenders, it's crucial to examine their promises, as the future of Haryana and its people for the next five years hangs in the balance.

With election season comes the inevitable flood of freebie promises. The key question remains: which of these pledges are financially viable, and which are simply electoral tactics designed to win votes?

What does the BJP's manifesto contain?

In Haryana, the BJP has promised to provide ₹2,100 monthly to women under the Lado Lakshmi Yojana. Additionally, under the Grihini Yojana, it has pledged to offer LPG cylinders for ₹500. Furthermore, the Awwal Balika Yojana promises to provide scooters to female students in rural areas who are studying in colleges. While these promises could increase financial pressure, the fact remains that the party has successfully implemented similar pledges in states where it has won elections, and no financial crises have occurred, which works in the BJP's favor.

Congress increases the number of guarantees in Haryana

The Congress started its freebie politics with five guarantees in Karnataka, which proved to be a winning strategy, allowing the party to form the government there. In Telangana, it increased the number of guarantees to six and managed to oust the 10-year-old BRS government.

The party now believes that offering seven guarantees to the people of Haryana can help turn around its political drought of the last ten years.

The Congress has promised ₹2,000 per month for women aged between 18 and 60, 300 units of free electricity, and free medical treatment worth up to ₹25 lakh. They have also pledged to provide LPG cylinders for ₹500. However, Congress' track record shows that these promises appear to be nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Congress is well aware that it is misleading voters with these freebie promises. In states like Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, the party's popularity has been waning due to these populist stunts.

Himachal reels under financial crisis after Congress' promises.

In Himachal Pradesh, after Congress' freebie announcements, the state is facing a severe financial crisis. Public employees, who were promised the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), are now struggling to receive their salaries and pensions on time. The government, under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has announced that ministers will not take salaries for two months as the state treasury is empty. The CM had to declare that many subsidies promised to the public would be reconsidered. He also admitted in the state assembly that Himachal's financial health is in critical condition, with the debt burden approaching ₹90,000 crore.

Karnataka sounds the alarm!

In Karnataka, barely 18 months into Congress' governance, there are already warning signs. According to The Hindu, several ministers in Siddaramaiah's government are pressuring the leadership to reconsider implementing the five guarantees for the entire five-year term due to the stalling of developmental projects. The state's free bus travel for women, which was another election promise, has already caused the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to report operational losses of ₹295 crore in just three months. According to a Wion report, the state government is now under such financial pressure that it may need to raise bus fares by 20%.

Congress trying to mislead farmers?

Since Congress was ousted from power at the Center, it has left no stone unturned in misleading farmers. Despite being in power for ten years, it never seriously addressed the issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP). Now, it is trying to woo voters by promising legal guarantees on MSP. Meanwhile, the current BJP government in Haryana has already brought 24 crops under MSP.

Why should youth believe Congress on jobs?

Congress has also promised 200,000 permanent jobs for the youth. However, given the previous Hooda government's notorious reputation for corruption, it's hard to trust the party's promises.

How long will Congress continue deceiving voters?

Congress has also pledged to make Haryana a drug-free state. In 2017, it made the same promise in Punjab and even used the Udta Punjab film as part of its campaign. Yet, neither during Congress' five-year rule in Punjab nor under the current AAP government has this promise been fulfilled. Expecting this in Haryana seems far-fetched.

Voters losing faith in Congress' promises

Another promise Congress has made in Haryana is to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Those who still want to be deceived should look at the condition of pensioners in Himachal Pradesh. People have started to lose faith in Congress' promises, evident in the recent assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, and more recently, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where Rahul Gandhi's promise to transfer ₹8,000 monthly to women's accounts was soundly rejected by voters.

Why should the public trust BJP's promises?

The BJP government, on the other hand, began giving stipends to farmers as early as 2019, which was not an election promise but something implemented while in power, and it continues to this day.

Similarly, the Ladli Behna scheme in Madhya Pradesh, launched by the BJP while in power, has won the hearts of the people. In Chhattisgarh, there is trust in the Mahatari Bandhan scheme, and in Odisha, the Subhadra scheme has just been launched.

BJP's welfare schemes are backed by well-thought-out roadmaps, detailing where funds will come from and how they will be spent. The biggest reason why BJP's promises are trusted is because of the guarantee that comes with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Where there's Modi's guarantee, not just Haryana but the entire nation puts its faith, as has been proven election after election.