The manifesto of the Congress party for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections came in for criticism from Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday. She questioned the Congress leaders, “Do you have a vision for the country?” and “Do you have a hope about how technology and education will help the youth of the country?” The manifesto of the Congress party was reactionary, assuring to give schemes to the voters. She stated that the Congress party has assured that “I’m giving that and I’m giving this.” She at a press conference in Bengaluru asked the Congress leaders “Do they fund it from the National Herald” over its assurance to give Rs 1 lakh to the poor women of the country if voted to power in the ensuing Lok Sabha election and asked “Where are they going to get the money from?” The promises made by the Congress party are ‘difficult’ to implement if elected to power at the Centre, she noted and stated that the promises’ implementation would result in budgetary loss and no money will be left. As an alliance (I.N.D.I.A), she said, the alliance leaders should come out with “This is what I’m going to do for the country in the next five years.” The Congress manifesto, she said, has a couple of contradictions such as, at one hand they seek to bring admission and education to a standard level and on the other hand they speak on NEET review. Furthermore, the manifesto says to accord permission for the States to conduct examinations. “Such contradictions are there in the Congress manifesto,” she observed. Sitaraman stated that Congress led India National Development Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) comprising 13 parties have no politically viable alternative leader to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and their one-point agenda to oust Modi from the Prime Minister’s chair and occupy it. But, “Who is the PM (I.N.D.I.A) bloc?” she asked and said, “All the partners have been saying I’m going to be the Prime Minister.” The Finance Minister said Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance does not have the fear of facing the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and the Prime Minister has expressed confidence of BJP winning in about 374 seats while the NDA tally would cross 400 seats. She said that Modi speaks about his vision and where he is taking India in 2047 and tells people “How to go about things to make the nation a developed one.”
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