This is the time for Sena, as it picks 10 out its 17 promises to keep

Mumbai: Instead of making a litany of poll promises, the Shiv Sena on Saturday chose to further short-list 10 promises out of its 17 promises, that it would like to keep. Much of the promises like subsidized meals, school bus facilities for students in villages, One Rupee clinic have already been announced by Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at the annual Dussehra rally on October 8. Speaking to newspersons earlier in the day at his Matoshri residence, Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray stated that the 10 short-listed promises will be fulfilled immediately after coming back to power.

The Sena president on the other hand stated that the poll promises that were left out are being made public today. He assured that the Sena is committed to keeping its promises and added that the Sena will contest the elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Sena president on October 8 had already announced nutritious, subsidized meals at Rs 10 for the poor, 200 Health check-up at Rs 1 for the poor, ST school bus facility in villages and slashing of electricity tariffs by 30 percent for those consuming less than 300 units per month.

Some of the promises left out then include – free college education for all girl students from economically weaker sections of the society, 15 lakh scholarships (apprenticeships) for Graduate youths to be known as Yuva Sarkar Fellows (on lines of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis project of CM Fellowship programme), assured annual income of Rs 10,000 for marginal and economically weak farmers, all weather cement concrete internal roads in villages, honorarium for destitute old age couples to be doubled and government grants for refurbishment of traditional places of worship in villages.

Speaking to newspersons, Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray stated that the poll promises are reflection of the feedback and issues he found out during his recent Jana Ashirwad Yatra. Replying to queries he said that the Vachannama has been drafted by women and Sena leaders and care has been taken that the promises do not place any additional fiscal burden on the state. Commenting upon the Aarey tree cutting issue, the Thackeray scion stated that let all the political parties place their stand on the issue and that the Sena was willing to discuss with them.

Referring to the promise of 80 percent reservation in jobs for locals, Thackeray stated that many of Sena’s rivals are waking up to what late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray had said 50 years ago. He added that the Sena was then accused of fomenting regionalism. Commenting upon the subsidized meal scheme, he said that the Womens Self Help Groups will be given the work of operating the scheme. Thackeray added that the 10 main points of subsidized power to farmers, subsidized meals and health services will be implemented immediately after coming back to power.