In Assam, Cong pledges 200 units of free electricity, new law to 'nullify' CAA
New Delhi: In an attempt to woo a major chunk of middle-class voters in the poll-bound Assam, senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday asserted that her party, if voted to power in Assam, will bring a new law to "nullify" the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state and provide free electricity up to 200 units to all households.
Gandhi, during a public meeting in Assam's Tezpur, launched the 'Five Guarantees' campaign, and said her party, if given a chance to form government in the northeastern state, will dole out Rs 2,000 every month to homemakers across the state. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, who is in poll-bound Assam on a two-day visit, also claimed that her party will hike daily wages of tea garden workers to Rs 365 from the existing Rs 167, and provide at least 25,000 government jobs to youth.
"People of Assam were cheated by a party (BJP) five years ago that promised them 25 lakh jobs but gave them CAA instead. Our party is not making empty promises but undertaking five guarantees," said Gandhi, who sported a traditional 'gamocha' around her neck which had the letters CAA crossed out on it.
The Congress leader also promised to provide 5 lakh jobs for the youth of the state if the party forms government in Assam.
Slamming BJP-led government at the Centre for not paying heed to farmers' concerns over the new agricultural laws, the Congress leader said that its policies are designed to benefit only the rich.
Interacting with women tea workers, she said that farmers have been protesting in and around the national capital for months, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to meet them and end the impasse.
"More than three lakh farmers are sitting on a dharna for the last two months, just a few kilometres away from where the PM stays, but he has not gone to meet them," she said.
Elections to 126 assembly constituencies in the state will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6. The counting of votes will be on May 2.
