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Ahead of the election in Punjab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a public rally in Jalandhar today. The election in Punjab for 117 assembly seats will be held on February 20.
PM Modi will visit other regions like Malwa, Doaba, and Majha on February 16 and 17. According to Punjab BJP General Secretary Subash Sharma said, PM Modi, will address the second rally in Pathankot on February 16 and the third rally in Abohar on February 17.
PM Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its manifesto for the Punjab pols on Saturday, February 12, promising a slew of sops for various sections, including 75% reservation in all government jobs for youngsters from the state, and unemployment allowance, 35% reservation for women in government jobs and massive infrastructure development.
The party's manifesto for the Punjab polls says a dope test will be mandatory before filing nominations for elections.
An unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 per month will be given to all graduates for two years after the completion of their degrees, it says.
The manifesto promises 35% reservation for women in all government jobs, including contractual ones. A special law will be enacted to deal with the cases of brides abandoned by NRI grooms, the manifesto said.
It promised that all outstanding loans of the members of the Scheduled Caste (SC), Backward Classes (BC) communities, and those falling in the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category will be waived up to ₹50,000.
Free electricity up to 300 units will be provided to every household and the tariff after the consumption of 300 units will be ₹3 per unit, the BJP manifesto for Punjab election noted.
Guru Kripa canteens will be established across the state to provide nutritious meals for ₹5, the BJP promised in its manifesto.
The BJP is contesting the Punjab polls in an alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and the Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).
In the 2017 Assembly polls in the state, the Congress had won an absolute majority by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government which had been in power for 10 years.
On January 5, there was a lapse in the Prime Minister's security when he was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozpur, Punjab due to the road being blocked by some protesters.
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