From ‘Free Electricity’ to ‘Old Pension Scheme’; Congress promises freebies in upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh

The Congress has made big freebies promises in Madhya Pradesh as the election draws closer in an effort to carry on its winning streak after taking Himachal Pradesh and, most recently, by winning the assembly elections in Karnataka.

On May 18, the state’s former chief minister, Kama Nath, said that if the Congress party wins in the upcoming assembly elections, the government will give each household 100 units of free electricity. In addition, after the first 100 units, electricity will be offered at half rate for the subsequent 200 units. The party will also roll back the ‘Old Pension Scheme’ (OPS).

In a tweet by Madhya Pradesh Congress, they delivered Kamal Nath’s message is clear and will defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming state elections.

After taking the reins of the Karnataka government, Congress stated in a tweet on May 22 that it would keep its pledges in Madhya Pradesh as well as the “guarantees” it had executed in Karnataka.

Before the upcoming state elections in November, the Congress made the following five promises to the voters of Madhya Pradesh:
1. Gas cylinder at ₹500.
2. ₹1500 to every woman per month.
3. 100 units of free electricity, 200 units halved.
4. Farm loan waiver.
5. Implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

The assembly poll campaign will be started on June 12 by senior Congress leader Priyanka Vadra after giving prayers to the Narmada river. Then it would be followed by a roadshow and a rally in Jabalpur.

Another Congress leader claimed that Priyanka chose Mahakoshal since the region was left out of her brother Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he travelled across the state’s Malwa and Central India districts and had a positive reception from the populace.

In Feburary, while interacting with the media in Budhni Rajya Sabha MP and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh indicated that Kamal Nath would be the CM’s face for Congress, “We will fight the elections in Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of Kamal Nath. So, he will be the CM’s face”.

The Madhya Parades Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in or before November this year 230 seats. In 2018, the party emerged victorious in the elections, but in 2020, Jyotiraditya Scindia and more than 20 of his loyalist MLAs left Congress, making way for BJP.