Seeking to wrest power from the incumbent Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government in Uttar Pradesh, principal opposition Samajwadi Party on Friday released its manifesto for the coming, state Assembly poll.
The manifesto seeks to shed its ‘perceived’ anti-English and anti-computer image, by promising laptops to students and asserting that the party was not against computers. As per the manifesto released by party president Mulayam Singh Yadav in a packed news conference here, the SP promises to give laptops to students passing standard XII and tablet computers to those passing standard X if voted to power.
The party promises universal free education till VIII standard and till graduation for the girls. On the contentious issue of land acquisition, the party has promised to put blanket ban on land acquisition except in emergency and urgent circumstances.
So far, only BSP has released its ‘appeal to electorate’ since it never releases any formal poll manifesto. The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are yet to release their manifestos, although BJP president Nitin Gadkari had recently released a ‘Vision Document’ on the UP poll.
Training guns on Mayawati regime, the SP manifesto announced to constitute a commission to probe corruption issues spanning the past five years in UP and give more powers to the Lokayukta. Besides, the party has promised to provide separate reservation to Muslims on the basis of their population in UP on the lines of dalits. The SP would also exert pressure on the Centre to implement recommendations of Ranganath Mishra and Rajinder Sachhar committees on the socioeconomic conditions of the minorities. The beleaguered weavers, majority of whom belong to the Muslim community, have been promised free electricity. Muslims account for about 18 per cent of the state population.
The manifesto also promised technical education at the madrassas, help to Muslim girls passing Xth standard for future education or Rs 30,000 for marriage.