Haryana BJP launches campaign to invite suggestions for poll manifesto

Chandigarh, Aug 21 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday launched the BJP's election campaign by inviting suggestions from every community within one week to be included in the party's manifesto for the October 1 Assembly elections. 

After attending a meeting at the BJP office in Panchkula, near Chandigarh, with the manifesto committee led by former Cabinet minister Om Prakash Dhankar, Saini told the media suggestion boxes would be kept in the party’s offices in all 22 district headquarters. 

"Their aim is to gather feedback regarding the people's expectations from the BJP. In the past 10 years, our government has fulfilled what was promised in the earlier manifesto. Now the election has been announced. The van will go to the block level. It will be going to all the 22 districts. We are starting this from Panchkula. They will go to different districts and take suggestions from people. People should also suggest the solution to the problems," he said.

BJP's national secretary Dhankar, who is heading the 14-member manifesto committee, said that within one week, the public can submit their views. 

"The manifesto will incorporate views of every section of society."

Saini also flagged-off vans called ‘Sankalp Yatra Rath’ that will travel across the constituencies seeking suggestions from the voters for the manifesto. 

The "raths" will travel through various regions, gathering feedback that will help shape the party’s manifesto, a senior BJP leader told IANS.

The "raths", pasted with posters and banners with catchy slogans, will be launched in all 22 districts simultaneously. They will have a box in which people can drop their suggestions written on paper.

Former state BJP chief and prominent Jat leader Dhankar said feedback compiled by 'Sankalp Yatra Rath' will be analysed in two weeks before drafting the manifesto.

The party is eyeing retaining power in the state for the third consecutive term.

Just two months after the Parliamentary elections, politics in BJP-ruled Haryana heated up with the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the legislative polls in a single phase for 90 Assembly seats on October 1.

The Assembly election results will be declared on October 4.

Political observers say the ruling BJP, which is confident of its return to power with a majority for the third-consecutive term under the leadership of first-time Chief Minister and Other Backward Class (OBC) leader Saini, has been facing anti-incumbency and farmers' anger. 

The BJP's main rival, the Congress, which ruled the state for a decade till 2014, has an edge over it with the support of farmers, traders and government employees.

Senior Congress leader and two-time chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda is working hard to return to power amid the party's internal 'war of supremacy'.

Even the AAP has launched its campaign by targeting the BJP government over the issues of unemployment, law and order and the Agnipath scheme.