Kolkata: Trinamool Congress unveiled its 2024 Lok Sabha manifesto, aligning with the Congress, DMK, and other opposition parties in the INDIA alliance to reverse citizenship law changes if the BJP is defeated.
In its manifesto, the party pledged to provide 10 free LPG (cooking gas) cylinders per year to below-poverty-line families and five kilograms of free meals (rice, wheat, and cereals) each month.
The TMC also committed to supporting farmers on the MSP (minimum support price) issue, echoing the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission to set the MSP “at least 50 percent higher than the average cost of production.”
To address rising fuel prices, the party promised to cap petrol and diesel prices and establish a price stability fund to mitigate international market fluctuations.
The manifesto also included assurances of 100 days of work for all job cardholders, along with a daily wage of Rs. 400 for all registered workers. It proposed tripling higher education scholarships for OBCs, SCs, and STs to assist students.
Additionally, the TMC promised a monthly stipend of Rs. 1,000 for senior adults over 60 under a new scheme, along with “dignified housing” for all impoverished families.
Despite failed seat-sharing negotiations with the Congress-led alliance, the ruling TMC in Bengal is considered a key player in the INDIA bloc and is contesting separately in the eastern state.
“These are the commitments we will fulfill as part of the INDIA bloc when it forms the next government,” stated outgoing Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien during the manifesto launch in Kolkata.
