In line with Congress, SP too vows to scrap Agnipath, give MSP

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 10

The Samajwadi Party, which is contesting the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress under the INDIA bloc banner, unveiled its poll manifesto on Wednesday.

The document echoed Congress’ Nyay Patra released recently by way of promising to conduct caste-based census; scrap the Agnipath scheme and ensure legal guarantee to the minimum support price regime.

Titled “Janta Ka Maang Patra: Hamara Adhikar”, the 20-page manifesto was released at the SP headquarters in Lucknow.

Highlighting the manifesto, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said a caste census would be conducted after the formation of the INDIA bloc government at the Centre to fill the vacant government posts of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes by 2025.

“The Agnipath military recruitment scheme will be scrapped and regular recruitment in the armed forces introduced. We will restore the old pension scheme, ensure participation of all sections of society in the private sector and completely eliminate poverty by 2029,” Akhilesh said. OPS restoration was not part of the Congress manifesto.

To farmers, the SP has promised legal guarantee of minimum support price; waiving of agricultural loans; free irrigation; constitution of a farmers’ commission and monthly pension of Rs 5,000 to landless small and marginal farmers.

In UP, the SP is contesting 62 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats; the Congress 17 seats and the TMC one (Bhadohi).

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