In a bid to tackle the incumbent BJP government in the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have announced a pre-poll alliance. INLD secretary general Abhay Chautala and BSP national coordinator Akash Anand made the alliance official during a press conference in Mohali yesterday.
As part of the tie-up, INLD will contest from 53 of the total 90 constituencies while BSP will field candidates in the remaining 37 seats. The leaders also revealed that INLD leader Abhay Chautala will be the joint chief ministerial candidate of the alliance.
Chautala and Anand further disclosed key promises included in the common minimum programme drafted by the newly formed alliance. Some of the prominent pledges are providing permanent employment to all contractual workers, setting up solar power plants across the state to supply electricity at no more than Rs. 500 per month, free water supply, old age pension of Rs. 7500 per month and unemployment allowance of Rs. 21,000 for youth.
Other assurances made to woo voters are one paying job per household, free gas cylinder for all, clearing backlog of SC jobs, 100-yard plots for SC families, free coaching for competitive exams for SC students and rollback of mandatory service bond for general category candidates after MBBS.
Time will tell if this new political partnership between INLD and BSP will help them pose a challenge to the ruling BJP in Haryana. With the state election nearing, voters will keenly watch if this alliance is able to provide a viable alternative or if BJP will retain power riding on incumbent advantages.
