New Delhi: Urging the party state units to follow fiscal prudence and make only those poll promises that do not strain the state budget, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has once again reignited the freebies versus welfare debate in the country. The statement is also being seen as the public acknowledgement by the Congress that its state governments (in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana) are struggling to fulfil the promises or freebies it made during the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a vocal critic of freebies, was quick to attack the Congress on Kharge’s remark.
“The Congress party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible,” Modi posted on his X account adding that fiscal health of the Congress ruled states is turning from bad to worse. Perhaps, he is right but do BJP state units follow what he preaches? Only yesterday, while addressing a public rally in Garhwa, PM Modi stressed upon the highlights of BJP’s election manifesto for Jharkhand. And these included, Rs 2100 monthly allowance for poor women under Gogo Didi Scheme, Rs 2000 unemployment allowance for the state graduates and even a gas cylinder for Rs 500. But then, these are called welfare schemes when announced by the BJP.
The Congress is set to announce its election manifesto for Maharashtra on Wednesday. And considering the budgetary problems that its state governments are facing in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana to fulfil its poll promises, one can expect some restraint from the party in going overboard with announcing vote-catching populist schemes. However, will it? The temptation to win the election is likely to far outweigh the fiscal prudence. Besides, that is the bridge for later to be crossed.
Do freebies win elections?
After tasting success in HP, Karnataka, Telangana and failing in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana etc in recent time, it is difficult for Congress to say with conviction that attractive freebies is a sure shot formula for success. And not just Congress, it is the same with many other regional parties as well. K Chandrashekar-led BRS government in Telangana and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh were wiped out despite rolling out some of the most outlandish and money-draining popular schemes in their respective states. But again, the massive mandate for BJP in Madhya Pradesh last year is attributed to the popularity of its Ladli Behna Yojana.
All political parties are guilty
From ‘Acche din aane wale hain’ to ‘Garibi Hatao’, every political party in the country is guilty of making some outlandish promises that improves their chances of winning the electoral battle. However, despite these governments failing to deliver on the promises, people are often forgiving. But when it comes to promises that offer immediate monetary relief such as providing free travelling or free education or free electricity, people remember and tend to vote it back. But again, there is no guarantee and much also depends upon the offering from the rival.
Congress state governments in red
Yes, the Congress state government looks to be struggling to fulfil its poll promises. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar recently hinted about revision of free bus ride schemes to women in Karnataka. According to information, the Karnataka government is already under Rs 5 lakh crore debts and the amount is likely to cross Rs 6.50 lakh crores by the end of Congress tenure in 2028. Similarly, in HP, the Congress government is running debts to the tune of Rs 75000 crores. Meanwhile, these state governments allege that the central government is not giving them their due share from the central pool of taxes. Some governments like Himachal Pradesh allege that they are not being allowed mining on the pretext of environmental hazards leading to revenue losses. Also, Congress counter questions about the fiscal health of the country where the central government has incurred debts of over Rs 150 lakh crores in the last ten years. From about Rs 55 lakh crores debt in 2014, the country’s debt has crossed over Rs 215 lakh crores today.
There can never be a final verdict on what are freebies and what is a welfare scheme. Especially in the country where 82 crore people are given free rations every month.
