Maharashtra Elections 2019: BJP Releases Manifesto, Promises 5 Crore Jobs

MUMBAI: The BJP on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming Maharashtra polls, promising a USD 1 trillion economy for the state with the creation of five crore jobs in next five years and houses for all by 2022. BJP working president JP Nadda released the manifesto, or the ''Sankalpapatra'', in Mumbai, along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state party president Chandrakant Patil and Mumbai unit head Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

The manifesto has promised creation of five crore jobs in next five years, taking the state's economy to USD 1 trillion. It has also assured houses for all by 2022.

One of the other key takeaways of the manifesto is setting up a separate maintenance department for the national and state highways, where repairs and other works are currently done by the road construction contractors.

While releasing the manifesto, Mr Nadda lavished praise on Mr Fadnavis, saying "the chief minister has changed the political culture of Maharashtra".

Maharashtra was earlier called as the state "full of corruption", but now it is known as "free of corruption", he said.

The chief minister's seat had earlier become a "musical chair", but Mr Fadnavis provided a stable government, he said. The Marathwada drinking water grid project worth Rs. 16,000 crore has also found place in the manifesto. The BJP has promised to connect all 11 dams in the perennially parched Marathwada region, and provide drinking water supply with the help of a closed pipeline.

It has also promised to invest Rs. 5 lakh crore in several infrastructure projects in the state.

Polling for all 288 Assembly seats in the state will be held on October 21 and counting of votes will take place on October 24.