Congress promises to address challenges

Laying out a basic framework of the party’s strategy for the 2014 general elections, the Congress party today sought to reassure to the deprived and the middle class of its commitment. It said the government would ensure high economic growth, while implementing schemes for social inclusion. Further, the party called for all “secular and progressive” forces to support its efforts to defeat “divisive forces”.

In the Jaipur declaration, released here today, the final day of the party’s three-day 'Chintan Shivir' (brainstorming meet), the ruling party said it was committed to addressing the concerns of both the “young middle class India and the young deprived India.”

According to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the 13-page document is a seminal document that charts the course of action for the party.

Apparently aware of the aam aadmi’s dissatisfaction with some tough policy measures of the government such as limiting the number of subsidised cooking gas cylinders and increasing the prices of petrol and diesel, the party repeated its call for “inclusive growth”.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh succinctly summed up the “agenda” for the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) — “inclusive growth” which embraces both “the poor and the disillusioned middleclass and youth”.

In his address to the All India Congress Committee today, the prime minister said the UPA government had even during the phase of the worst global economic slowdown managed to achieve an economic growth rate of 8.2 per cent, and stressed the need to create more jobs “to reduce inequality”.

Comparing the UPA government’s performance with the previous National Democratic Alliance government, Singh said his government had outdone the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government on all fronts such as economic growth, rural consumption and real wages.

The party, in the declaration, said it would address the economic challenges and “create an investor-friendly environment” to woo domestic and foreign investors for creating more opportunities for the youth. The party has also resolved to create 10 million jobs every year for the youth and roll out skill development schemes for them. Further, the declaration called for drawing up a plan for greater allocation of resources for Dalit, tribal and minority communities.

In a bid to isolate BJP and its affiliates and win more coalition partners, the Congress said it would appeal to all “secular and progressive forces” to align with it to oppose “divisive forces”.

On fighting corruption, the party said it was committed to get a Lok Pal Bill passed in Parliament. It further promised to work towards ensuring human development through schemes for healthcare and elimination of infant mortality, etc.

With Sonia Gandhi laying stress on women empowerment, the party has officially announced it would ensure 30 per cent reservation for women at all levels within the party.

With the declaration charting the party’s course for the polls in at least 10 states, culminating with 2014, this document will be the bedrock on which the Congress-led UPA will frame its manifesto.