The BJP’s manifesto invited flak from Congress, Left parties and AAP among others for what they called its ‘divisive and communal agenda’, while India Inc welcomed it but was unhappy with the party’s opposition to FDI in multi-brand retail.
Some Congress leaders even termed the BJP’s manifesto as “copycat”. Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said BJP’s manifesto was a hastily written “high school essay” prepared by “lifting” some portions from his own speeches and writings.
“For example, they talk about ‘Rurban India’ – the area which are rapidly urbanising. This I wrote almost 10 years ago...,” the Rural Development Minister said.
Another Congress leader said it read like “laundry list of disconnected ideas”, adding the BJP talking of minority welfare was like “Dracula heading a blood bank”.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said the manifesto proved that the BJP’s agenda of ‘development’ was a “short-term farce”, and its “true agenda” was “communal and divisive policies”.
In a statement, AAP also flayed the manifesto for its “silence on the gas pricing issue” as well as the absence of “any concrete policies on the transparent and equitable use of natural resources.”
The CPI and the CPI(M) said that the manifesto was completely in tune with the agenda of the RSS.
CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat tweeted, “BJP manifesto shows how dangerous the mix of Hindutva and corporate power could be,” adding that it was a “blueprint to destabilise India through Ram Mandir and abrogation of Article 370 politics.”
CPI National Secretary D Raja said, “Issues like the Ram temple, Article 370 and Common Civil Code were not on the original agenda when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister.”
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said no party could revoke Article 370 that granted special status to J&K without re-opening the entire issue of accession of the State to India.
India Inc seeks retail FDI While welcoming the manifesto, industry chambers said they were dismayed by the BJP’s decision to say no to FDI in multi-brand retail in its election manifesto, and urged the party to reconsider its stand, saying the move may send a wrong signal to foreign investors.
“We welcome the openness to FDI linked to creation of assets and employment. Though we feel disappointed on the stand on FDI in multi-brand retail, we hold out hope for a possible review,” FICCI President Sidharth Birla said.
Assocham President Rana Kapoor said “We would continue to impress upon the BJP to reconsider its stand on FDI in multi-brand retail as the move will act as a multiplier effect on India’s economy without impacting in any way the neighbourhood kirana stores.”
The CII, while appreciating the emphasis on employment creation and moderation of food inflation, said it was happy to note that the policies mentioned in the manifesto were investor-friendly.