An election manifesto may be hotly debated in the media and among intellectuals, but when it comes to the common man, not each and every point is discussed threadbare. A few standout promises percolate to the grassroots. This time though, manifestos have become a talking point both at the national and state levels, especially in Andhra Pradesh, which is going to have the Lok Sabha and assembly polls simultaneously on May 13. Notwithstanding social media distortions, people broadly understand what the Congress is promising—a caste census, quotas beyond the 50 percent cap and the rather confusing wealth redistribution statement of party leader Rahul Gandhi. The BJP’s manifesto is generally understood to mean continuing development. There is, of course, the debate on reservation as well.
The contrast gets interesting in Andhra Pradesh. Incumbent Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has come up with what he terms a “pragmatic” manifesto, while the opposition TDP-Jana Sena combine is out with a Praja Galam document full of freebies and the promise of creating 20 lakh jobs. This is ironic because former chief minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena supremo Pawan Kalyan have been accusing Jagan of emptying the treasury by distributing freebies. The two allies have promised ‘Super Six’ guarantees including free bus rides for women, unemployment dole of Rs 3,000 a month, Rs 15,000 per year for every school-going child, three free gas cylinders per family every year, Rs 20,000 aid for farmers, and Rs 1,500 a month to every adult woman; not to forget the Rs 4,000 social security pension for the elderly. Compared to this, Jagan has marginally raised what he has been implementing for the last five years. His government has spent around Rs 2.7 lakh crore on welfare schemes, which begs the question how much the TDP-Jana Sena manifesto would cost the state exchequer.
Naidu claims he knows how to create wealth and distribute it, while Jagan keeps asserting his record in keeping promises. In essence, both sides are offering more or less the same with a few variations. The only question is who can better convince voters. The track record is on Jagan’s side; the ability to market his document on Naidu’s. Interestingly, TDP ally BJP has neither signed up for the joint manifesto, nor does it have its own state manifesto. Silence, sometimes, speaks volumes.