Haryana polls: In fair play, BJP keeps women, farmers on top

NEW DELHI: Relief for farmer loans, security for college girls and financial support for landless labourers are likely to be the key focus areas for the Bharatiya Janata Party in its manifesto for next month’s election in Haryana.

The party is likely to promise interest-free loans to farmers if it is voted to power, top party sources told ET. The model will be similar to the one implemented by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, which was elected for the third consecutive term in 2013.

"Farmers will be encouraged to pay their monthly instalments on time so that the government can pay the amount of interest," said a senior BJP leader, adding that "the endeavour is to come up with a scheme which facilitates their development and save them from misery."

The Haryana and Maharashtra elections on October 15 will be the first major electoral test for the BJP since winning the general elections and follows setbacks faced in assembly byelections earlier this month. The BJP won seven of the 10 LS seats in Haryana and will be up against the Congress party led by incumbent CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the INLD.

Another highlight of the BJP manifesto is expected to be the introduction of exclusive buses for college girls, as suggested by senior BJP leaders.

The promise appears to counter an incentive offered by the INLD, which released its manifesto in August. INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala had announced that "if voted to power, the party will give free scooters (a scooty or moped) to all girl students in rural areas who enroll themselves in colleges after passing the 12th examination."