lok-sabha-elections

Updated: May 08, 2019 17:08 IST

After BJP workers’ ‘chimney processions’ in Bhopal and Sehore to remind people of the power outages during the Congress government under Digvijaya Singh, the party’s candidate Pragya Thakur released a vision document on Wednesday to show her commitment to developing the Madhya Pradesh capital.

Pragya Thakur’s vision document comes just three days before the polls and 17 days after her rival Digvijaya Singh released a similar paper on Bhopal. Bhopal will vote in the sixth round of the seven-phased Lok Sabha election on May 12. The votes will be counted on May 23.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader has given topmost priority to employment for youth in the document. She has said young entrepreneurs will get a loan of Rs 50 lakh and a guarantee against 50% of the loan for women and 25% to men. There will be concerted efforts to set up as many as 50,000 start-ups by 2024, she promised.

The document talks of central government schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna and pension for farmers with small land holdings. It also talks of digital connectivity, a quality life to the poor with help of central government schemes, international flights and new trains from Bhopal, giving a boost to the smart city project, skill development, making AIIMS at Bhopal as one of the best in the country among other issues.

The document highlights the alleged misrule of the then Digvijaya Singh government during which, as Pragya Thakur has alleged, Bhopal lacked basic civic amenities and the state witnessed power outages, potholed roads and poor law and order situation.

“The vision document is just a part of my vision on development. The other plans will come later,” Pragya Thakur said while speaking to journalists.

Notably, the Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh is also contesting the Lok Sabha election on his development plank. In 2003, his government of ten years was dislodged by the BJP on the issues of ‘bijli, sadak, pani’ or power, road and water.

Digvijaya Singh’s vision document released on April 21 talked of developing Bhopal as a tourist and educational hub, better air connectivity, developing of a farmer city, mega logistic and warehouse zone, water and home to all, safe capital for safety to women, old and children, conservation of water bodies etc.

The BJP’s media coordinator for the Bhopal parliamentary constituency Dr Hitesh Bajpai said Pragya Thakur’s vision document is based on “what we can do for a better Bhopal”.

“It doesn’t offer imaginary development plans which are not possible unlike the Congress candidate’s vision document,” Bajpai said.

The spokesperson of Congress’ Madhya Pradesh unit Santosh Gautam said the BJP’s was forced to release its document as it was threatened by his party’s agenda of development.

“That Pragya Thakur has released her vision document just three days prior to polling is a glaring example of her real vision on development. It’s just an exercise for her which has no meaning. It was brought under pressure as Congress is talking of development only and people too are going to vote in the name of development,” Gautam said.