PM Modi unveils BJP manifesto for LS polls

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released the BJP's Lok Sabha poll manifesto, which has a special focus on the poor, youngsters, farmers and women.

The prime minister handed over copies of the manifesto to the representatives of the four broad groups -- Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata and Naari Shakti (GYAN) -- who were beneficiaries of the government's schemes. Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released the manifesto for the polls that are scheduled to commence from April 19.

Addressing the gathering earlier, Singh said the manifesto embodies the guarantees the prime minister has given to the people of the country. "Modi ki guarantee" is the recurring theme of the manifesto, he said. "Modi ki guarantee is equivalent to 24-carat gold and has emerged as the gold standard of governance," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. Singh, who headed the party's manifesto committee, said more than 15 lakh suggestions were received from across the country and those were incorporated into the document.

The manifesto talks about implementing the "one nation, one poll" initiative, preparing common electoral rolls, abolishing waiting lists for train travel, expansion of 5G networks and organising Ramayan festivals the world over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released the BJP's Lok Sabha manifesto which has a special focus on the poor, youth, farmers and women, and asserted that the need for a stable government with full majority was necessary when the world was passing through uncertain times. The prime minister handed over the copies of the manifesto to representatives of the four broad groups -- Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata and Nari Shakti (GYAN) -- who are beneficiaries of government schemes.

"In the last 10 years, BJP has implemented every aspect of its manifesto as a guarantee. BJP has restored the sanctity of the manifesto," Modi said at the release of the manifesto. "The need for a stable majority government increases at a time when the world is passing through uncertain times," the prime minister said, referring to the several conflicts the world was grappling with. Modi asserted that the BJP will work towards implementing the one nation, one election initiative, and stressed that the Uniform Civil Code was in the national interest. "BJP will start working on the promises made in the manifesto immediately after the results are declared on June 4," Modi said. "I present this Sankalp Patra of the BJP as a document of 'Modi ki Guarantee' to the people of the nation for their blessings," he said.

Reaching out to Tamil Nadu, where the BJP is seeking to get a foothold, Modi announced that the BJP will work towards building Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world. "We will build Thiruvalluvar cultural centres all over the world. The world's oldest Tamil language is our pride. BJP will undertake every effort to enhance the global reputation of Tamil language," Modi said.

Thiruvalluvar was a noted Tamil poet and philosopher. "Our Sankalp Patra empowers the four strong pillars of Viksit Bharat -- youth power, women power, poor and farmers. Our focus is on dignity of life, quality of life and employment through investments," Modi said

Earlier addressing the gathering, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the manifesto embodies the guarantees the prime minister had given to the people of the country.

"Modi ki guarantee is equivalent to 24 carat gold and has emerged as the gold standard of governance," Singh said.

Singh, who helmed the manifesto committee, said more than 15 lakh suggestions were received from across the country which have been incorporated into the manifesto.

The manifesto talks about implementing the one nation, one poll initiatives, preparing common electoral rolls, abolishing waiting lists for train travel, expansion of 5G networks and organising Ramayan festivals world over.

Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19.