Dented BJP in Haryana, Denied in Maharashtra, will Defeat in Jharkhand: Chidambaram

Ranchi: Former Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said that Raghubar Das government of Jharkhand has become synonymous with backwardness and incompetence due to which BJP will be defeated in these assembly elections. Addressing a press conference at the JPCC headquarters here he said that these elections were being held at a crucial juncture in the country and therefore the people should let this opportunity slip.

He said that the Congress party dented the BJP in Haryana, denied them in Maharashtra and will defeat the BJP in Jharkhand. He said that Prime Minister during his visits to the state talks about double engine government however the double engine is good if its pulls in the same direction but if it pulls in the opposite direction than nothing is correct. Pointing figures he said that in 2014-15 the debt on Jharkhand was Rs 43,000 crore while in the year 2018-19 increased to Rs 85,000 crore which means every resident of Jharkhand is in double debt in the last five years.

Claiming that nothing moves in Jharkhand he said that 44 projects according to CMIE (Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy) data 44 projects have stopped in Jharkhand, frequently the Tata Motors Plant is closed in Jamshedpur, many coal steel and auto ancillary units have closed down while in August the chairman of the Jharkhand Federation of Chamber and Commerce had put up hoardings claiming that 10,000 industries have closed down in Jharkhand.

The Congress leader said that unemployment was the fourth highest in the country in Jharkhand which was 15.1 percent whereas the national average was 7.9 percent. He said that there was need for such a government in Jharkhand which really understands what is needed to be done within a specific time.

Highlighting the promises made by the Congress in its manifesto for the Vidhan Sabha polls in Jharkhand he said that one member from every family with get job or will be paid the unemployment allowance, MSP on paddy to fixed at Rs 2500 per qunital, Mnrega will be substantially enhanced so that people cant get more work, right to home will be implemented where landless people will be given land to build their homes, farmers loan upto Rs 2 lakh will be waived off, everybody will be included under PDS system and any land acquisition done in violation of CNT and SPT will be stopped and land will be returned to the land owners.

He said that his party will make sure that the people who are covered under PDS get 35 kilograms of food grains which the BJP government is giving only 5 kilograms. Raising the issue of hunger deaths in Jharkhand he said that despite the country sitting on tonnes of paddy which is also being exported people in Jharkhand are dying due to hunger.

He promised that the land acquisition acts, forest rights act and PESA Act will be implemented effectively in the state. Mr Chidambaram said despite having abundance of coal steel and other mineral reserves Jharkhand is among the poorest states in the country and has also fallen behind due to the mismanagement and incompetence of Chief Minister Raghubar Das.

He said that Congress alongwith its allies JMM and RJD will provide such a government which understands the requirements of all the sections of the society including minorities, farmer, youth and women. Taking swipe over Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her comments on ‘ i dont eat onions’ he said the coalition in Jharkhand will not have any such minister who says that i do not eat onions as it is common among the very poor that they have ‘roti with onions’.

He said that the ministers would be humble and competent who will work to reduce debt, increase investments, create jobs and provide social security for the unemployed and the women. To a query over political happenings of Maharashtra he said that BJP tried for an alliance and it failed whereas the Congress tried for an alliance and it succeeded.

He said that complex plural societies are better government by coalition government and claimed that UPA track record of running a coalition government was far better that that of the BJP. He said that coalition governments also best represent the interests of the people. On the common minimum programme he said that before the cabinet takes oath a CMP will be ready which is a promise.