Expanding welfare, infra: 10 years on, BJP manifesto signals continuity amid change

Pitching for a third term, with two of its three core ideological projects – abrogation of Article 370 that gave special status to Kashmir and the construction of Ayodhya Ram Temple – completed, the BJP’s“Sankalp Patra” (manifesto) for 2024 is more a re-statement of its governance programme rather than a politically contentious document.

Underlining the shift in “mindset,” from “desperation” to confidence, the manifesto flags that after 10 years in government, the party promises stability and continuity with a continued focus on expanding the welfare net, upgrading public infrastructure and increasing opportunities for all the young, women, the middle-class and the elderly.

The only element of the BJP’s original core agenda that remains is Uniform Civil Code and the manifesto reaffirms that pledge, using the same paragraph from the 2019 manifesto, framing it in terms of gender equality: “…BJP believes that there cannot be gender equality till such time Bharat adopts a Uniform Civil Code, which protects the rights of all women, and the BJP reiterates its stand to draw a Uniform Civil Code, drawing upon the best traditions and harmonising them with the modern times.”

Resolving to implement “One Nation, One Election,” the manifesto promises to expand the government’s flagship infrastructure and welfare programmes, including road, housing, Ujjwala gas connection and Ayushman Bharat health insurance schemes, and announced free electricity for poor households.

“This is the work of the Modi government for the next five years. We have the legacy of the last 10 years, a vision for the next 25 years, so the next five years are very important and significant for us. We will be laying foundations for the next 25 years in this term,”