NEW DELHI : With two phases of parliamentary elections over, the opposition is unlikely to issue a ‘joint manifesto,’ according to sources.
The INDIA bloc parties will consider drafting a common minimum programme after forming the government at the Centre, said D Raja, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader and a key member of the opposition alliance.
There was no consensus, though some parties discussed the idea of a joint manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, said Raja. “No decision was taken by parties on a common manifesto. We don’t feel the need as each party has released its manifestos separately. The opposition will consider a common minimum programme after the INDIA bloc would be able to form the government at the Centre. Then, all these questions will be addressed,” he said.
Early this month, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and pitched a common minimum programme for the Opposition bloc for the Lok Sabha elections. Singh said that people should be made aware of the major promises of the alliance and how it will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner.
Though there were discussions among the partners regarding releasing a set of “common guarantees” ahead of the second rally in Jharkhand, nothing was announced.
Though there are some common features such as unemployment, caste census and legalising the MSP in the manifestos released by these parties, on the key poll issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Congress, SP and RJD have maintained silence, while DMK, CPM and CPI have promised its repeal.
Promises
The caste census remains a key promise for many INDIA bloc parties, including the Congress, RJD, SP, CPM, CPI, and DMK. TMC is silent on the issue, but it has promised a task force to evaluate OBC status for unrecognised communities.