Letter to BS: Will minimum income for poor dominate pre-poll narrative now?

If Rahul Gandhi's promise is indeed a "bluff", what does Jaitley have to say about his party's promise of bringing back black money stashed abroad

With hyper-nationalism dominating the national narrative since the Balakot airstrike a month ago, other significant issues affecting the livelihood of millions had been pushed into the background. Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s (pictured) announcement of ensuring a minimum income of Rs 6,000 per month to 20 per cent of the poorest of poor households on Monday has refreshingly shifted the national debate back to those issues. 

Amelioration of poverty would now dominate the narrative without compromising the imperatives of national security. Not surprisingly, a rattled Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, sensing a possible electoral gain for the Congress in the ensuing Lok