Lucknow: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday flagged off her party's "Pratigya Yatras" from Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki with seven promises, including loan waiver for farmers and jobs to 20 lakh people if voted to power in next year's Assembly polls.
This prompted state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna to say that the Congress leader's name should be changed to Priyanka Ghoshna and said the party's promises are mere poll gimmicks.
During the launch of the yatras, the Congress promised purchase of wheat and paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal and Rs 400 per quintal for sugarcane.
Besides jobs to 20 lakh people, the Congress leader said if voted to power in the state, her party will "halve the electricity bill of all".
She also said her party will bring a separate manifesto for women, reiterating that the Congress will give 40 per cent tickets to women in the elections. The party also reiterated that it will give smartphones to Class 12 pass girls and e-scooters to graduate girls if voted to power.
The party said it will give Rs 25,000 to families who faced financial crunch due to the Covid crisis.
Priyanka promised a separate manifesto for women in a week's time and stressed that their participation in politics is necessary.
"Till they do not move forward and participate in politics, they will not be able to fight their battles," she said.
Priyanka said providing smartphones and scooters to girls is a way to make them empowered.
"Smartphones can help in their safety and scooters will facilitate their movement," she said. Referring to farmers, the AICC general secretary said they are helpless in the state.
"All have seen how farmers were killed brutally by the son of a minister in the Modi government. This in itself proves how much importance is being given to farmers," she said referring to the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
"How long it took to arrest the accused and his father, who is saving him, is still in the Modi government and not dismissed," she said.