New Delhi: The Congress plans to focus on agrarian distress, unemployment, and the “ill prepared” implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) as it takes on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The three key issues have found resonance in the Rahul Gandhi-led party’s manifesto committee consultations, which have been taking place over the past few months. The Congress is taking a leaf out of its recent poll campaign and will target groups such as farmers, youth, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), according to senior party leaders.
The Congress will soon string together programmes and campaign strategies, which will focus on these groups, according to senior party leaders.
The party has drawn up its 2019 strategy from key issues that led to the recent electoral gains in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, as well as from the closely fought Gujarat polls, where these groups, particularly farmers, were said to have played an important role.
The biggest electoral issue in 2019 for the Congress, which is riding on the success in the polls in the three north Indian states, will be agrarian distress and the recent promise of a nationwide farm loan waiver. The farmers’ cell of the party had recently announced that it will launch a pan-India agitation to expose the Union government.
“In my view, agrarian distress and jobs, as well as the revival of the MSME sector and improving human capital such as education, health and social security, will be some of our key focus areas in 2019. The manifesto committee consultations are being organized over 20 different themes,” said Rajeev Gowda, senior Rajya Sabha member and convener of the party’s manifesto committee.
“The party is buoyed by recent successes in the state and the idea is to create an alternative narrative that is being anchored by the manifesto committee. We will have an action plan in place,” he said.
Last October, the Congress had launched a website seeking inputs to its manifesto. This was in addition to the on-ground consultations it has been conducting across the country.
The party will focus on youth by aggressively raising the issue of unemployment and target the government’s “ill prepared” stance and implementation of GST to flag concerns of small and medium traders, according to senior party leaders.
“Jobs for youth and fixing the GST will also be key focus areas as far as the 2019 election campaign is concerned. Trade, industry, and commerce have faced a lot of heat. Even though their (small traders’) numbers are small, they are job creators and contribute to the economy. If we can raise their issues by linking it with the way government has failed in proper implementation of the GST, it have a lot of impact,” said a senior party leader and state minister, requesting anonymity.