Congress’ 2024 election manifesto includes legal guarantee for MSP, caste census, filling government vacancies

Congress' 2024 manifesto includes legal MSP guarantee, caste census, and filling government vacancies, focusing on social justice and livelihood.

Making minimum support price (MSP) a legal guarantee, the promise to conduct a nationwide caste census, and filling existing government vacancies on priority will figure prominently in the Congress’ manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, sources said.

The party’s manifesto committee, headed by former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, is scheduled to have a meeting on March 4 to discuss the draft manifesto, which is in its final stages. 

A senior party leader told TheHindu on March 2 that the manifesto thematically focuses on the paanchnyay or five pillars of justice that the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has been highlighting over the past two months. 

Outlining the five pillars at a press conference in January, Mr. Gandhi had said the paanchnyay include justice for youth, women, farmers, labourers, and in terms of bhagidari (participation). 

“The five pillars of justice would give strength to the country,” the former Congress chief had said. 

Mr. Gandhi has already announced that if the INDIA bloc gets voted to power at the Centre, MSP would be made a legal right. The same assurance would be reiterated in the manifesto and the party will also put up large hoardings at all the major mandis (agricultural markets).

The promise of a nationwide caste census and giving rights to a community in proportion to its numbers has also been one of the main planks for the Congress. The party hopes that it will effectively counter the consolidation of Hindu votes in favour of the BJP after the inauguration of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.