Why Manmohan Singh failed

From the semi-retired academic discussions of Saturday Club at Delhi's India International Centre to the hurly-burly of 7 RCR, Manmohan Singh's rise in 2004 was meteoric. The architect of India's economic liberalisation would now be the helmsman of the UPA Government, keeping the seat alive for the Young Inheritor. It should have worked. Sonia Gandhi was steering the party, Manmohan Singh would handle the government. It didn't.

From senior bureaucrats in the PMO such as M.K. Narayanan to junior ministers Jairam Ramesh to even his PMO deputy Prithviraj Chavan, everyone felt they owed loyalty to Sonia Gandhi. Senior Cabinet colleagues routinely ignored him, some even denying him the basic courtesy of briefing him on foreign visits or addressing him as Mr Prime Minister. His silences, especially on corruption of colleagues, undid him. Worse, his shiniest moment, of striking his beloved nuclear deal with George W. Bush, carried with it the stigma of a deal. His media adviser Sanjaya Baru, 59, who has known Manmohan for over two decades, saw the unravelling from close quarters until he quit in 2008. Baru was a key member of Manmohan's diminished PMO, and probably his closest aide after the sudden death of JN Dixit, often acting as courier of messages, seeker of advice and even sounding board.

As the Prime Minister gets ready to step down after ten years of running the world's largest and most complex democracy, Baru's book, The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh, reads like a primer of what not to do in power. Stubbornly resisting advice to be projected in the media, refusing to contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2009, surrendering control of his government by allowing key appointments to be made over his head and failing to quit when Rahul Gandhi humiliated him in public, Manmohan leaves behind a legacy that he doesn't deserve, says Baru. Comparing the Prime Minister to Bheeshma who took the terrible vow of defending the indefensible, Baru points out that unquestioning loyalty to the dynasty may have been the epic patriarch's obligation in a monarchy, but in Manmohan it was a fatal error of judgement. From the Great Liberaliser, he became the Great Liquidator-of his own equity and that of the all-powerful prime minister's office.

सोशल मीडिया चुनावी संपर्क का बड़ा जरिया

मित्रो,

कुछ दशक पहले तक चुनाव के ठीक पहले फतवे जारी होते थे और भारतीय मतदाताओं का एक बड़ा समूह उसी लाइन पर वोट डालता था. फतवा जारी करने वालों की राजनीतिक समझ पूरे समूह के संवैधानिक अधिकार की दिशा तय करती थी. फतवा जारी करने के पहले राजनीतिक सौदेबाजी या राजनीतिक हितों की रक्षा को लेकर ठोस चिंतन जैसे विषय पर जानकारी आम आदमी को करीब-करीब नहीं होती थी. अब ऐसा नहीं रहा. या कम-से-कम पहले जैसी स्थिति अब नहीं रही. अब फतवे पर सवाल करने और फतवा जारी करने वाले की राजनीतिक समझ, मंशा और तरीके पर बहस करने वाला युवा वर्ग तैयार हुआ है. यह वर्ग सोशल मीडिया और इलेक्ट्रॉनिक सूचना तंत्र के संपर्क में है. यही बदलाव मतदाताओं के दूसरे समूह और समुदाय में भी आया है. अब बड़ी आसानी से पूरे मतदाता समूह को गुमराह करना पहले की तरह आसान नहीं रहा. इसलिए राजनीतिक दलों के प्रचार और जनसंपर्क के तरीके भी बदल गये हैं. अब वे उसी माध्यम का ज्यादा-से-ज्यादा इस्तेमाल करने में लगे हैं, जो युवाओं को अपनी ओर आकर्षित कर रहा है या जिसके जरिये उसकी सोच ठोस आकार ले रही है.

जाहिर है कि सोशल मीडिया का राजनीतिक दलों द्वारा किया जा रहा इस्तेमाल आने वाले समय में और भी लोकप्रिय होगा. नेता और राजनीतिक पार्टियां इंटरनेट, ट्विटर और फेसबुक के जरिये लोगों तक पहले विचार पहुंचा रहे हैं. आरके नीरद की रिपोर्ट : 

ट्विटर और फेसबुक

ट्विटर पर 140 कैरेक्टर के  स्टेट्स मैसेज अपडेट  को अनगिनत सदस्यों के मोबाइल और कंप्यूटरों तक भेजने की सुविधा थी, जबकि फेसबुक पर उपयोक्ताओं के लिये ये सीमा मात्र 5000 लोगों तक ही सीमित है. सदस्य 5000 लोगो तक ही अपने प्रोफाइल के साथ जुड़ सकते हैं या मित्र बना सकते हैं. फेसबुक पर किसी विशेष प्रोफाइल से लोगों के जुड़ने की संख्या सीमित होने के कारण  स्टेट्स अपडेट  भी सीमित लोगों तक ही पहुँच सकता है.

सार्वजनिक खाते

सार्वजनिक खाते (पब्लिक पेज) यानी ऐसे पेज, जिन्हें हर कोई देख सकता है और लोग जान सकते हैं कि उनके आदर्श नेता, प्यारे पॉप स्टार या सामाजिक संगठन की क्या गतिविधियां हैं. फेसबुक के ट्विटर से जुड़ जाने के बाद अब कंपनियां, संगठन, सेलिब्रिटी अपने प्रशंसकों और समर्थकों से सीधे संवाद कर पायेंगे, उन्हें बता पायेंगे कि वे क्या कर रहे हैं, उनके साथ फोटो शेयर कर पायेंगे. फिलहाल यह सुविधा पब्लिक पेज प्रोफाइल वालों को ही उपलब्ध है. फेसबुक के सार्वजनिक पृष्ठ (पब्लिक  पेज) बनाना हाल के दिनों में काफी लोकिप्रय होता जा रहा है.

पब्लिक पेज पर अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति बराक ओबामा भीपब्लिक पेज बनाने वालों में अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति बराक ओबामा, फ्रांसीसी राष्ट्रपति निकोलस सारकोजी और रॉक बैंड यू-2 शामिल हैं. इनके अलावा भी कई बड़ी हस्तियों, संगीतकारों, सामाजिक संगठनों, कंपनियों ने अपने खाते फेसबुक पर खोले हैं. ये हस्तियां या संगठन अपने से जुड़ी बातों को अपने प्रशंसकों या समर्थकों के साथ बांटना चाहते हैं तो आपसी संवाद के लिए फेसबुक का प्रयोग करते हैं. 

All hands on deck

Just past 5 pm on March 21, Congress President Sonia Gandhi made a phone call. "Amarinder, I want you to contest from Amritsar," she told a somewhat surprised former Punjab chief minister, "I think you are the best man for the job. You have nothing to worry about. I will support you in every way." Parked on one side of National Highway 1 on his way from Delhi to Chandigarh, the Punjab strongman promptly acquiesced, though he was a trifle bewildered. Sonia Gandhi's request was most unusual, especially after she had concurred with his reservations about contesting for the Lok Sabha elections when he had met her three weeks earlier. Confident of her approval, Amarinder had declined the Amritsar ticket when Sonia's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel broached the possibility two days earlier on March 19 and publicly conveyed his reluctance in more than one TV interview. Notably, less than an hour after the call from his mother, an evidently delighted Rahul Gandhi sent Amarinder a text message: "Thanks. You stood and fought."

For many senior party leaders, direct phone calls from 10 Janpath signal a new resolve on the part of the Congress's first family, conveying a cohesiveness of strategy: Sonia and her children, Rahul and Priyanka, acting together while playing on their strengths to create a whole that is larger than the sum of its parts.

Sonia may have handed over the reins of the 2014 General Elections to her son Rahul, but she is still a party president in complete command and therefore, the supreme authority. Congressmen say the signals are clear: She is the boss when it matters most. From fielding senior leaders in this election to sending out a clear message to the minorities-do not let the secular vote get divided-Sonia is doing all that is expected of her as party president. And then, in what is perhaps one of the best-kept secrets of the party, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has stepped in as a force multiplier. In this election, she has slowly taken over multiple roles: As Rahul's invisible manager-cum-principal adviser, a key election strategist, and most importantly, a bridge between Rahul's new Congress and the old guard. This role was missing in the Congress for a long time and among the principal reasons behind the party's decline. Besides, Priyanka continues to be the point person for the family's pocket boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli. With the Congress's own estimates suggesting that the party could be down to its worst showing in history, the dynasty is left with no other choice but to join hands and support Rahul's attempt to halt BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's rise.

Following the call to Amarinder, the Congress president's secretary PP Madhavan put through several calls over two days starting March 21. Sonia asked former Union minister Ambika Soni to file her nomination from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab while the incumbent legislature party chief Sunil Jakhar was told to commence campaigning in the border constituency of Ferozepur. Sonia also got Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to fight from Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, and asked Rahul to tell party General Secretary Madhusudhan Mistry to choose a tough seat. The latter is now the Congress's candidate against Narendra Modi in Vadodara.

Reports from the ground suggest that Sonia's ploy of fielding political heavyweights or leaders with a proven popular appeal is clearly taking effect. Even before he made an appearance in Amritsar on March 28, Amarinder Singh's nomination appeared to have provoked a measure of panic in the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP camp, which had been earlier lulled into relative complacency at the prospect of a virtual cakewalk for former Union minister Arun Jaitley. Sonia's strategy is seen as a masterstroke by many. A Congress general secretary reveals that in fielding Amarinder, the party hopes to tie down Jaitley (who Amarinder refers to as "our esteemed guest from Delhi" in his speeches) to Amritsar till April 30, by when seven phases out of nine of the elections will be over. Jaitley is a key strategist and his absence from the Centre is likely to hurt the party.

Despite the corruption taint on two other candidates, Sonia steered the decisions to field former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan from Nanded and former Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal from Chandigarh. Avoiding giving them tickets would have meant an admission of guilt when the matter is sub judice. A report released by the Association of Democratic Reforms in March shows BJP has fielded more candidates with a criminal record-35 per cent as opposed to Congress's 27 per cent. If Rahul had had his way on the matter, Chavan would not have got a ticket. Sonia is learnt to have told the Congress Election Committee that a ticket to Chavan was necessary for the party to woo the Maratha vote bank and develop a new leader in him after the death of another former chief minister of the state, Vilasrao Deshmukh. The shrewd move also quelled the possibility of Chavan turning rebel. Fielding Bansal in Chandigarh, says a senior leader, has put the Congress back in the race where he is pitted against two outsiders and actors-BJP's Kirron Kher and Aam Aadmi Party's Gul Panag.

On March 26, at the party's manifesto release function, when a journalist asked about giving Chavan a ticket, Sonia jumped in with an "I'll take that" and went on to say: "As far as we know, Chavan is not barred from contesting the election by any law. " The terse reply and her aggressive demeanour gave a clear message that many Congress leaders have been waiting for-that the party leadership will not only defend its own, it will also not sacrifice candidates who stand a chance to win in the name of cleaning up the party.

The approach is in sharp variance with the course Rahul has been following. A similar script played out in the case of the party's Saharanpur candidate, Imran Masood. Despite his arrest on March 29 over remarks on Modi, Sonia is learnt to have conveyed, through Patel, to the Uttar Pradesh unit that Rahul's rally in Saharanpur the same day would not be cancelled. The arrest had created a sympathy wave for Masood. Saharanpur is a seat with a 42 per cent Muslim population and this could affect the Muslim votes in nearby constituencies. Around 4 pm on the day of Masood's arrest, Rahul appeared in Saharanpur with Masood's wife on stage. Defending the candidate, Rahul said Masood had made the comment while he was in Samajwadi Party and it had nothing to do with the Congress. Party sources say Sonia's astuteness and reliance on local inputs turned the situation to Congress's favour.

Congress leaders reveal that requests have been pouring in from party candidates for Sonia to campaign in their constituencies. She eventually launched the campaign from Delhi on March 30. "She has always been on the mark with her message while Rahul tends to get conceptual or talk of things from a larger perspective. Both have their own distinct styles," says a general secretary, his words underlining the contrast in how the mother and son approach politics.

With time and support both running out for the grand old party, Priyanka too has stepped forward not just to help in the campaign but take full charge of the backroom operations after Rahul was projected as the party's face, sources close to her confirmed to india today . "The (Gandhi) family has no other option. Rahul can't be looking at all details. In less than a week, he will be holding meetings in different parts of the country. Someone he can completely trust and who can take decisions in his absence has to be in charge, "says an associate. Yet, both the family and the party are wary of making the development public knowledge or sharingdetails about it. So Priyanka's meetings with key Congress leaders and agencies involved in the election-from campaign to strategy-take place at different locations but never at her home, 35 Lodhi Estate, or at the party office, 24 Akbar Road. "There are times when she reaches 12 Tughlaq Lane (Rahul's official residence) at 10 in the morning and holds meetings till midnight. She is determined to enhance the party's and her brother's chances in the elections. From the party's slogans to even the points that Rahul will raise in his address in different public meetings-she has the last word on everything, "reveals a senior party leader Priyanka often interacts with.

If not at her brother's official residence, she holds meetings at Jawahar Bhawan on Rajendra Prasad Road in New Delhi that houses the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) office, or 6 Mahadev Road-the convergence point for voters from the family pocket boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli to register their concerns in New Delhi.

Priyanka's calibrated interventions started after the 2012 Assembly elections debacle in Uttar Pradesh but were confined to Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies. She resumed regular visits to the two Lok Sabha constituencies after the party's poor showing in the Assembly elections. In the last six months, she has completely overhauled the organisation at the local level, appointing office-bearers in Amethi and Rae Bareli after personally scrutinising and interviewing all block presidents and coordinators for the party.

But she has now stepped into a bigger role beyond the two constituencies. "She calls Congress chief ministers and PCC presidents of the states where Rahul is travelling to ensure that everything goes according to plan," reveals a Union minister. Rahul's trusted aide Kanishka Singh has been put in charge of arranging her meetings and calls with various leaders. Right from planning the strategy to executing it on the ground, Priyanka is involved in different stages of the Lok Sabha poll preparations while maintaining a low profile.

"If there is one person Rahul listens to the most, it is Priyanka," says an aide. Rahul's aggressive speech at the AICC session in Delhi on January 17 was also at Priyanka's insistence. The speech went back and forth between Priyanka, Rahul, Sonia, Ahmed Patel and Kanishka and almost 15 corrections were made in the first draft. Two days before the session, Rahul rehearsed the speech in front of Priyanka late in the night at 12, Tughlaq Lane. Priyanka advised him to be more dramatic and aggressive in his speech. From then on, she makes sure that Rahul gets the talking points for his speeches well in advance.

There have been instances when the Congress party's best-kept secret was nearly revealed. Like on January 7, when Priyanka chaired a meeting of senior party leaders at Rahul's house in his absence. Among those present were Patel, party General Secretaries Mistry, Janardan Dwivedi, Ajay Maken and Mohan Gopal of RGF. Sources say Rahul had delayed his return from Europe after some "senior party leaders expressed serious concerns" on his plan to bulldoze changes following the party's debacle in the December 8 Assembly elections. It was left to Priyanka, widely perceived to be more adept than her brother at the art of the possible, to crease out the differences between the seniors and the party vice-president. Yet, word about the meeting getting out caused tremendous concern and near panic within the party. "Her acceptability in the party is very high. If at this stage the news of her increased engagement in party affairs gets out, there could be a clamour for her. That will undermine Rahul," says a Congress leader and Union minister. Earlier, Dwivedi had vehemently denied being present at the meeting. When he learnt that TV cameras had captured him leaving 12, Tughlaq Lane after the meeting, he issued a statement saying: "Priyanka Gandhi is an active political worker of the Congress and she has been meeting workers for a long time. What is so surprising if she met party leaders? " Dwivedi's nuanced statement is the only admission of the elevation in Priyanka's stature within the party.

Younger leaders involved with the party's election strategy are more open about her involvement. "She is not a sanyasin," quips Jairam Ramesh, the party's chief election strategist, on being asked about Priyanka's new role "She has a sharp political mind and is an important source of ideas and inputs. Some of her ideas are accepted." Ramesh has been deeply involved in three Lok Sabha elections since 2004 as a key strategist and says that while Priyanka has always been engaged with the elections, this one is tougher than any other. "The challenges are greater this time. We are up against 10 years of anti-incumbency and an aggressive opponent," he says.

Having Priyanka by his side in a tough election has boosted Rahul's confidence. Besides clearing his speeches, the ad campaigns and publicity material, Priyanka also keeps a watch on the performance of spokespersons on TV debates. Her feedback includes a critique of not just their communication abilities but even of the way they dress and their body language. Recently, a spokesperson was debating on a prime-time TV news show wearing a T-shirt. Priyanka mentioned this to Kanishka and the feedback reached the communication department. Rahul's associates Kanishka, Kaushal Vidyarthee, Alankar Sawai and KB Byju don't report to her but they keep her in the loop on anything related to Rahul. Priyanka often calls one of them for updates and information. Sometimes she guides them on strategy. She talks and meets only those party leaders she needs to. She doesn't get involved in the day-to-day activities of the party unless it has something to do with the election campaign, sources say.

The reasons for Priyanka's emergence as a key election strategist and Rahul's image manager are not hard to miss. Apart from the challenges the elections pose for the Congress, the dynasty's own ability as a vote-catcher is under severe strain. Rahul's repeated failures in the electoral arena and his long absence from the scene had left party workers confused. While Sonia constantly ceded space to him, Rahul remained reluctant to fill the void. The Government's failures on several fronts only catalysed the party's decline. Sonia also continued to hold back the more charismatic Priyanka from stepping in to prevent her from overshadowing her brother. This even as there is a sense in the party that the changes Rahul promised have not only taken too long to take effect but also threaten to upset too many applecarts.But Priyanka's more inclusive style of functioning makes her a bridge between Rahul and those leaders for whom Rahul displays a lower level of tolerance. "The Congress president took too long to decide that Priyanka needed to be involved," says a leader considered close to the Gandhi family, suggesting it might be too late to salvage the party in this election but keeping the hope alive for the future.

The Assembly results were a wake-up call for the family. Till early last year, internal party surveys showed the Congress on a losing streak but seat projections for the Lok Sabha hovered around 150. An internal survey in January 2014 showed the number had shrunk to 75. While Rahul continued to harp on bringing in systemic change and revamping the party for the long haul, the results brought the awakening that arresting the party's decline would have to be the immediate task. With Sonia and Priyanka stepping in rather belatedly, the moot point is how much damage can the family control. The party is up against not only a decade of anti-incumbency, it is also battling low morale within. If Rahul succeeds, he will bring in a new order that many fear will have no place for them.

Key Points of AAP Manifesto

आम आदमी पार्टी ने लोकसभा चुनावों के लिए गुरुवार को घोषणा-पत्र जारी कर दिया। पार्टी संयोजक अरविंदकेजरीवाल ने अपने आवास पर मनीष सिसोदिया, गोपाल राय और योगेंद्र यादव के साथ घोषणापत्र जारी किया। घोषणा पत्र में पार्टी ने वादा किया कि यदि सत्ता में आती है तो देशवासियों को भ्रष्‍टाचार मुक्‍त भारत देगी। केजरीवाल ने इस दौरान राजनीतिक सत्‍ता के विकेंद्रीकरण की जरूरत पर बदल दिया। यहां तक की पार्टी ने मीडिया में पारदर्शिता के लिए भी कानून लाने का वादा भी किया।

गौरतलब है कि लोकसभा चुनाव को लेकर कांग्रेस अपना घोषणा पत्र जारी कर चुकी है, जबकि बीजेपी का घोषणा-पत्र अभी तक जारी नहीं हुआ है। लेकिन बीजेपी ने नई पहल करते हुए दिल्ली के लिए अलग से घोषषा-पत्र कल जारी कर दिया था।

जानिए, घोषणा पत्र में क्‍या किए हैं पार्टी ने वादे

1. स्वराज (करप्शन का खत्मा करेंगे)

-जनलोकपाल बिल पारित किया जाएगा।

-स्वराज बिल के तहत ग्राम सभा और मोहल्ला सभाओं की ताकत बढ़ाई जाएगी ताकि स्थानीय स्तर पर भ्रष्टाचार खत्म किया जा सके।

-सरकारी प्रक्रिया को आसान बनाया जाएगा।

-सूचना तकनीक का उपयोग पारदर्शिता लाने और भ्रष्टाचार खत्म करने के लिए किया जाएगा।

2. आम आदमी को न्याय दिलाएंगे

-ग्राम न्यायालयों का गठन किया जाएगा।

-हाईकोर्ट और निचली अदालतों में जजों की नियुक्ति पारदर्शी बनाने के लिए राष्ट्रीय और राज्य स्तर पर न्यायिक नियुक्ति कमीशन का गठन किया जाएगा।

-फास्ट ट्रैक अदालतों का गठन किया जाएगा।

-अगले पांच सालों में अदालतों की संख्या दोगुनी की जाएगी। अदालतो में ढांचागत सुविधाओं और संसाधनों को बढ़ाया जाएगा।

मानवीय और जवाबदेही नीतियां सुनिश्चित करेंगे

-सुप्रीम कोर्ट के फैसले के मुताबिक पुलिस सुधार लागू किए जाएंगे। राजनीतिक हस्तक्षेप से बचाने के लिए पुलिस को अधिक स्वायत्तता दी जाएगी।

-स्थानीय ग्राम सभा(मोहल्ला सभा) के प्रति पुलिस की जवाबदेही तय की जाएगी

-पुलिस हिरासत के अधिकार को खत्म किया जाएगा। सभी हिरासत न्यायिक होंगी और इसी के तहत पुलिस पूछताछ करेगी

-एफआईआर दर्ज करने से इनकार करना अपराध श्रेणी में आएगा।

-वीआईपी सुरक्षा में लगे भारी सुरक्षा बलों को हटाया जाएगा।

स्वतंत्र और निष्पक्ष चुनाव, प्रतिनिधित्व में सुधार

-चुनाव आयुक्त की नियुक्ति सरकार नहीं बल्कि कई सदस्यों वाली संसदीय कमेटी करेगी। चुनाव आयुक्त के अधिकार क्षेत्र को बढ़ाया जाएगा।

-राजनीति में काले धन के इस्तेमाल पर रोक लगाई जाएगी। स्टेट फंडिंग इलेक्शन की संभावनाओं को तलाशा जाएगा.

- राइट टू रिजेक्ट और राइट टू रिकॉल प्रक्रिया को लाया जाएगा।

स्वास्थ्य और शिक्षा

- देश के सभी नागरिकों को उच्च स्तरीय स्वास्थ्य सुविधाओं का लाभ देने के लिए राइट टू हेल्थ केयर विधेयक लाया जाएगा।

-जन स्वास्थ्य व्यवस्था में जवाबदेही तय की जाएगी।

सबके लिए शिक्षा

-सभी बच्चों के लिए उच्च स्तरीय शिक्षा मुहैया कराना प्राथमिकता होगी। जनशिक्षा प्रणाली का भी विस्तार किया जाएगा।

-लड़कियों, गरीब बच्चों, सामाजिक रूप से पिछड़े समुदाय के बच्चों के लिए उच्च स्तरीय शिक्षा सुविधाओं दिलाने का विशेष प्रावधान किया जाएगा।

-स्कूल प्रबंधनों में लोकल कम्युनिटीज की भागीदारी के साथ ही स्कूलों/टीचरों की ग्राम सभाओं या मोहल्ला सभाओं के प्रति जवाबदेही तय की जाएगी।

-योग्य टीचरों की पारदर्शी चयन प्रक्रिया के तहत नियमित आधार पर नियुक्ति की जाएगी।

-बड़ी संख्या में आईटीआई स्थापित की जाएगी।

- सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र के तहत विश्व स्तर के शिक्षण संस्थानों की स्थापना की जाएगी।

-दिल्ली यूनिवर्सिटी में लागू किए गए चार वर्षीय अंडर ग्रेजुएट प्रोग्राम को वापस लिया जाएगा

अर्थव्यवस्था

-देश के हर नागरिक मूलभूत सुविधाएं मसलन खाना, आवास, शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य,बिजली, पानी, शौचालय और अन्य सुविधाएं मुहैया कराईं जाएंगीं

-किसानों का जीवन खुशहाल और सुरक्षित बनाया जाएगा

-युवाओं को रोजगार के अवसर दिए जाएंगे।

- निष्पक्ष उद्यमिता को बढ़ावा दिया जाएगा

-कर प्रणाली को आसान और निष्पक्ष बनाया जाएगा

मजबूत आर्थिक विकास

-रोटी कपड़ा और मकान के साथ-साथ सुरक्षा, सम्मान और व्यक्तिगत क्षमता को हर नागरिक को उपलब्ध कराया जाएगा।

-एकीकृत आर्थिक और पार्यावरण प्रणाली लाई जाएगी।

-गांव और शहरों में विश्वस्तरीय ढांचागत व्यवस्था को बढ़ावा दिया जाएगा।

युवाओं के लिए रोजगार

-देशभर के युवाओं को कृषि,उत्पादन, और अन्य सेवा सेक्टरों में रोजगार के अवसर मुहैया कराए जाएंगे

- नौकरियों के अवसर पैदा किए जाएंगे।

काले धन की अर्थव्यस्था को खत्म किया जाएगा

गरीब और पिछड़ों को और अधिकार दिए जाएंगे।

किसानों की जीवनदशा में सुधार लाया जाएगा

-स्वामीनाथन कमीशन की सिफारिशों को लागू किया जाएगा।

-किसानों को आत्महत्या से रोकने के लिए क्रेडिट और इंश्योरेंस लागू किए जाएंगे।

पर्यावरण और प्राकृतिक संसाधन नीति

-खनिजों और प्राकृतिक संसाधनों के प्रबंधन में ग्राम सभा महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका अदा करेगी।

-प्राकृतिक संसाधनों के उपयोग का लाभ स्थानीय लोगों को मिले। इन संसाधनों का वाणिज्यिक शोषण पर लगाम लगाई जाएगी।

-नई भूमि अधिग्रहण नीति लाई जाएगी

-नौकरियों में ठेकेदारी प्रथा बंद करेंगे।

बढ़ती महंगाई पर अंकुश लगाएंगे

सामाजिक न्याय

लैंगिक न्याय

-लैंगिक हिंसा और भेदभाव को खत्म करने के लिए एक जनशिक्षण अभियान चलाएंगे।

-महिलाओं को संसद और विधानसभाओं में 33 प्रतिशत आरक्षण दिए जाने का समर्थन करेंगे.

जातिगत असमानता को खत्म करेंगे

वाल्मीकि समुदाय सम्मान के साथ जीने के अधिकार देंगे

सांप्रादायिक और सामुदायिक सदभावना को बढ़ावा देंगे

मुस्लिम के साथ भेदभाव का खात्मा किया जाएगा और सुरक्षा प्रदान की जाएगी।

आदिवासियों को उनके विकास का अधिकार देना

विकलांग सशक्तिकरण

पशु कल्याण के लिए कार्य किए जाएंगे

स्पोटर्स, कलचर और मीडिया

खेल प्राधिकरणों पर भ्रष्ट और आपराधिक लोगों का वर्चस्व कम किया जाएगा।

खिलाड़ियों को राष्ट्रीय खेल प्राधिकरण में निर्णय और निर्णय निर्धारण समीति में प्रतिनिधित्व दिया जाएगा।

मीडिया में पारदर्शिता लाने के लिए कानून लाया जाएगा।

Key Points of BJP Manifesto

1. Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, said good governance and inclusive development would dominate his agenda. "I will do nothing for myself. I will do nothing out of ill-intent," he vowed.

2 . Emphasizing its stand on a key economic policy, the BJP says it will welcome Foreign Direct Investment in all sectors that will create jobs, except in multi-brand retail.

3 . In what is likely to be controversial, the BJP has pledged to draft a Uniform Civil Code to "ensure gender equality." It also promises to do away with the Article 370 of the Constitution, giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

4 . The manifesto also mentions the BJP's old promise for a Ram temple at the disputed site of the razed Babri mosque in Ayodhya. It calls for the building of a grand temple at the site "within the Constitutional framework."

5 . The party has promised a low-cost housing programme to give every family a proper home within a decade, and 100 new "smart cities."

6 . It will also focus on reforms in taxation to attract investors and end "tax terrorism". The party says it will adopt a national General Sales Tax.

7 . The BJP aims to link welfare programmes like the Congress-led government's rural jobs schemes to assets creation, for example infrastructure building. It promises a high speed rail network.

8 . A new health policy, the National Health Assurance Mission, will seek to provide "accessible, affordable and effective health care system."

9 . The party has made "water to every village, water to every field" its priority, said Mr Joshi.

10 . The BJP says it will revise and update the nuclear doctrine.

BJP's election manifesto: 15 points

Price rise: BJP proposes to lower inflation by taking steps such as; measures and special Courts to stop hoarding and black marketing, setting up a Price Stabilisation Fund, evolve a single 'National Agriculture Market, leverage on technology to disseminate real time data, area specific crops and vegetables linked to food habits of the people.

Employment and Entrepreneurship: BJP has said that it accord high priority to job creation and opportunities for entrepreneurship. For the same, it has talked about steps such as labour-intensive manufacturing, focus on traditional employment bases of agriculture, upgradation of infrastructure and housing, steps for self-employment opportunities.

Corruption: BJP has said that to eliminate the scope of corruption, it will emphasise on technology enabled e-Governance. Apart from that public awareness, policy-driven governance and simplification of the tax regime have also been cited as solutions to the problem of corruption. 

Centre-State Relations: One salient point of the BJP manifesto is making centre-state relations smoother. For this BJP wants to evolve a model of national development, which is driven by the states. "'Team India' shall not be limited to the Prime Minister led team sitting in Delhi, but will also include Chief Ministers and other functionaries as equal partners," the manifesto said.

Decentralization and People's Participation: The manifesto proposes a People-Public-Private Partnership (PPPP) model to involve the people in Governance as functionaries and facilitators. 

 

Open Government and Accountable Administration: Administrative reforms will be a priority for the BJP, the manifesto claims. The measures will include; digitization of government records, open up government to draw expertise from the industry, academia and society into the services. BJP said that the hallmarks of its governance model would be; People-centric, Policy driven, Time bound delivery, Minimum Government, Maximum Governance. 

E-Governance: There is a special mention of e-governance and IT has an enabler of empowerment. "BJP will focus on increasing the penetration and usage of broadband across the country, leverage technology for e-Governance, generate IT based jobs in rural and semi-urban areas, use mobile and e-Banking to ensure financial inclusion," the manifesto said. 

Rural and Urban development: "Agriculture, rural development and poverty alleviation go hand in hand. Major thrust area for rural development would be to improve village level infrastructure in terms of roads, potable water, education, health, supply chain, electricity, broadband, job creation, security in rural areas and linkage to markets," the party's manifesto said. 

  

Apart from that, BJP has advocated for urban development as its priority. "We will initiate building 100 new cities. Major steps will be undertaken in Transport and Housing for 'Urban Upliftment' in India," the manifesto seeks to promise. 

"Cleanliness and Sanitation will be given priority - efficient Waste and Water management systems will be set up. Model towns will be identified for rolling out integrated waste management infrastructure," the manifesto added. 

Higher and Professional Education: "The basic objective of higher and professional education is not only rapid advancement of the affluent sector of the society but also to improve the lot of the last man in the line," the document said. 

Health Services: BJP has said that India needs a 'comprehensive healthcare policy'. "The current situation calls for radical reforms in the healthcare system with regards to national healthcare programs and delivery, medical education and training and financing of healthcare," it said. Several steps such as modernization of government hospitals, setting up an AIIMS like institute in every state and use of Yoga and Ayurveda medicines has been propagated. 

Economic Revival: Fiscal discipline, re-visit the policy framework, Banking reforms, encourage Savings and re-energize the engines of growth are some of the solutions cited to ensure economic growth. 

Taxation & FDI: BJP has said that it will rationalize and simplify the tax regime. It also said that it will bring on board all State governments in adopting GST, addressing all their concerns. 

"Barring the multi-brand retail sector, FDI will be allowed in sectors wherever needed for job and asset creation, infrastructure and acquisition of niche technology and specialized expertise," BJP said. 

Agriculture, Industry, MSMEs and services sector: For each of these sectors in the economy, the manifesto has promised measures for better productivity and job creation. The party said it will aim to make investment and industrial regions as global hubs of manufa .. 

Physical Infrastructure development: Expediting work on freight and industrial corridors; connecting Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir with rest of the country through highways and railway lines; modernising airports; economic model of Port-led development; harness satellite technology; setting up National Optical-Fibre Network up to the village level; Diamond Quadrilateral project - of High Speed Train network (bullet train) are among the several things that BJP has promised. .. 

Other salient points: Science and Technology, focus on flora and fauna, health services, education sector, women safety, social security, equal opportunities for minorities are among the other salient points that the manifesto has focussed on.