RJD unveils ‘Parivartan Patra’ manifesto ahead of Lok Sabha election

Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has unveiled the ‘Parivartan Patra’ manifesto ahead of the imminent Lok Sabha elections, affirming the party’s commitment to fulfilling the 24 promises delineated in the manifesto. Emphasizing the manifesto’s focus on critical developmental issues and the welfare of Bihar’s populace, Yadav remarked, “Today morning we released the ‘Parivartan Patra.’ We are bringing forward 24 promises in 2024, which are our commitment and our pledge that will be fulfilled responsibly. It has a lot of important issues regarding the development of Bihar and the welfare of its people.”

Asserting the party’s reliability in fulfilling its commitments, Yadav stated, “When RJD says something, it also fulfills it by doing it.” He also pledged to provide government jobs to one crore youth nationwide if the INDIA bloc, led by RJD, comes to power. Yadav criticized the BJP for failing to address unemployment adequately and pledged to fulfill RJD’s promise of creating job opportunities.

Moreover, he promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and grant special status to Bihar if elected to power. Yadav outlined plans to initiate job provisions nationwide starting from August 15, promising Rs 1 lakh annually to impoverished women on Raksha Bandhan and providing gas cylinders at Rs 500. Additionally, he pledged to offer 200 units of free electricity and construct five new airports in Bihar for enhanced connectivity.

The ’24 promises’ of the RJD encompass job assurances for youth, freedom from unemployment starting from August 15, and Rs 1 lakh for impoverished women from the forthcoming Rakshabandhan. If voted to power, RJD pledges to provide gas cylinders at Rs 500, enforce the Old Pension Scheme, confer special state status upon Bihar, and discontinue the Agniveer scheme. Other commitments include implementing the remaining recommendations of the Mandal Commission and providing 200 units of free electricity, among others.

Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address key issues like poverty, unemployment, and Bihar’s special status, highlighting the government’s purported sidestepping of these concerns. Bihar is poised to undergo polling for its 40 Lok Sabha seats across all seven phases of the election. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA secured a resounding victory, winning 39 out of 40 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan managed to secure just one seat.