The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) (ASP) formed an alliance for the Haryana Assembly Elections. JJP leader Dushyant Singh Chautala and ASP President Chandra Shekhar Azad announced the coalition during a joint press conference in New Delhi. The alliance planned to contest all 90 Assembly constituencies in Haryana, with the JJP vying for 70 seats and the ASP for 20.
On September 2, Chautala had indicated his intention to file his nomination papers for Uchana on September 5, marking the start of the nomination period. He also took the opportunity to criticize the BJP for “borrowing” candidates from other parties, particularly in light of recent defections of JJP rebel MLAs to the BJP.
Ambitious Manifesto
In a bid to secure votes, the alliance released an extensive manifesto outlining a series of ambitious proposals focused on addressing the concerns of farmers, unemployed youth, and women. During a press conference in Sirsa, Dushyant Chautala announced commitments to procure all grains at Minimum Support Price (MSP), provide an unemployment allowance of ₹11,000, and ensure old age pensions of ₹5,100 per month.
Support for Farmers
Chautala emphasized that every grain produced in Haryana would be procured at MSP. The manifesto also proposed ₹25,000 per acre in compensation for crop damage and the introduction of the “Jannayak Fasal Suraksha Scheme,” with the state government covering the premium.
Education and Employment Initiatives
The alliance aimed to enhance educational opportunities for rural youth by promising extra weightage in job placements and higher education admissions. They planned to charge only ₹100 as a one-time fee for all recruitment applications, detailed in the manifesto titled “Jansewa Patr.”
Empowering Women and Students
To attract female voters, the manifesto included initiatives to provide one lakh government jobs for women and to construct a hostel for working women in Gurugram. An international training center for food processing and technology was proposed for Fatehabad, along with a monthly support of ₹5,000 for pregnant women.
Focus on Youth and Sports Development
The alliance also aimed to promote youth entrepreneurship by offering interest-free loans of up to ₹3 lakh to individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. They proposed the construction of an international sports stadium in Jhajjar, a kabaddi stadium in Sonipat, and shooting ranges in four districts, including Jind.
Infrastructure and Health Commitments
Chautala announced plans to establish industrial zones in every district, aiming to create employment for one lakh youth in each area. In healthcare, a mobile dispensary was set to be launched at every block level, along with generic medicine shops in every village.
Commitment to Inclusivity
The alliance pledged to reserve three percent of government positions for individuals with disabilities and to establish a welfare center for backward classes in each district, similar to Ambedkar Bhawan. The “Ambedkar Awas Yojana” was also planned to provide plots and construction funds for Below Poverty Line (BPL), Scheduled Caste (SC), and Backward Class (BC) families.
Promoting Culture and Cinema
To enhance arts and culture, the manifesto included plans for a modern film city in Hisar, aimed at fostering filmmaking and various artistic expressions. The alliance also intended to set up NRI help centers at the district level to assist overseas residents.
Conclusion
As the JJP, led by former MP Ajay Singh Chautala, and the ASP, headed by Chandra Shekhar Azad, prepared for the elections, they aimed to address the diverse needs of Haryana’s electorate. The 2024 elections were expected to feature a competitive four-way race among the BJP, Congress, JJP, and AAP. In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the JJP received only 0.87% of the vote share and failed to win any seats. In the 2019 Haryana Assembly elections, the BJP secured 40 seats, forming a coalition with the JJP, which won 10 seats, while Congress obtained 31 seats. The BJP-JJP alliance had been dissolved earlier that year.
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