TMC unveils 'Jumla Meter' to counter BJP's manifesto, says NDA will get 180 seats
New Delhi: After the "Pradhan Mantri hisab do" campaign, Trinamool Congress unveiled "Jumla Meter" on Tuesday countering BJP's vision document, released on Monday. Rajya Sabha MP and senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien, addressing a press conference here, pointed out 15 reasons for "how the Bharatiya Janata Party has failed to deliver on its 2014 election manifesto promises."
Countering the saffron party's promise of strengthening labour-intensive manufacturing, the TMC asserted that unemployment rate of 6.1 per cent was highest in the last 45 years.
On the state and centre relation for national development, the party alleged that "Federal structure is killed, where the 'Special Category Status' for Andhra Pradesh has been denied. In fact, inadequate funds are given for flood relief to non-BJP states like West Bengal and Kerala in the last five years."
O'brien also claimed that since the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was launched, only 1.8 per cent sanctioned funds have been utilised. Even in the five years, the average agricultural growth has decreased to 2.9 per cent. The TMC leader further also said the investment in agriculture declined to 18.8 per cent in 2016-17 from 43.2 per cent in 1980-81.
Emphasising on the 2014 poll promise on black money by the BJP, TMC's ' Jumla Meter' says that "Black Money Taskforce set up by the government made no significant progress in bringing the black money stashed abroad. People named in Panama Papers are not made public, and no significant action has been taken. Demonetisation actually helped in making black money white."
O'Brien asserted that TMC's priority after coming to power would be to ensure Assembly elections in Kashmir and passing the Women's Reservation Bill.
He also claimed NDA would fall short of a majority and win a maximum of 180 seats. "Our polls say NDA will get 180 seats. Make no mistake BJP, after May 23 TMC will be among the top three parties in Lok Sabha elections and we will come to power along with other opposition parties."
In the 2014 general elections, TMC emerged as the third-largest party with 34 seats, after BJP, Congress and the AIADMK.
A three-member TMC delegation would visit the Election Commission on Wednesday at 11.30 am and will hold a press conference outside the Election Commission. They will take up the issue of NOTA button position in the VVPAT panel and the transfer of four senior police officers. On Monday, West Bengal chief minister and the party supremo Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Election Commission protesting the move of the EC.
