BJP's Karnataka manifesto promises waiver of farm loan up to Rs 1 lakh

BENGALURU: BJP has promised to waive all loans in nationalised and cooperative banks up to Rs 1 lakh for farmers in the first cabinet meeting if it’s voted to power in Karnataka, in a repeat of election manifesto for Uttar Pradesh last year.

The party’s manifesto for next week’s assembly polls released on Friday focuses on farmers, women, youth and students, similar to the list of promises made by ruling Congress in its manifesto released a week ago. BJP has mentioned just two elements of Hindutva in its manifesto — revival of the Cow Protection Commission and special grants to temples.

It made specific promises to SC/STs and other backward castes, both parts of AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward castes and Dalits), which is seen as a vote bank of chief minister Siddaramaiah.


There is no mention of Christians or Muslims in the BJP manifesto. Siddaramaiah alleged that the opposition party has largely copied the list of promises that Congress has made. “We have Indira canteens, they have renamed them Annapurna canteens. Have they done anything like this in a BJP-ruled state?” he said in Chennagiri assembly segment of Davanagere district.

Siddaramaiah also alleged that BJP’s promise of loan waiver is a lie. “The same BS Yeddyurappa (BJP’s chief ministerial candidate) had said the state does not have a currency note-printing machine when he was asked to waive loans when he was CM,” he said. “So, this is an outright lie.”

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, however, did implement its election promise and last year announced a Rs 32,000-crore scheme to waive farm loans of up to Rs 1 lakh. BJP in its Karnataka manifesto has promised free education for all youth in government colleges, except in professional courses.

Congress has promised free education for girls up to post graduation. BJP offers smartphones to women, while Congress has announced it for all college-going students aged 18-23.