In a bid to woo the poor, the Congress has promised a new minimum income scheme and its strict implementation. 

Announcing its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha Election today, he said, “When we started a year ago, I made it clear that nothing in this can be a lie, because we live in a time where we hear a large number of lies every day.”

He went on to say that “biggest idea” in the Congress manifesto is Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay). He called it Garibi par waar, 72,000 War on poverty with Rs 72,000 cash support. 

“I agree that Nyay is not doable, but by the BJP. For the Congress it is possible and we will show them how it is done. The BJP said farm loan waivers cannot be done, but we showed it by doing so in states. We will do this as well. I do not lie like the BJP and PM Modi. I won't say 15 lakhs like he did, but I will promise Rs. 72,000 per year to the poor and will deliver it.” Rahul Gandhi said.

The party promised 50 more days of assured jobs under MNREGA against the present 100. It will also have a separate budget for farmers, on the lines of the Railway Budget. Farmers who default on loans would not be sent to jail as it will not be a criminal but civil offence.

“We will remove the Gabbar Singh Tax and make it into GST that should have been. We will remove 5 GST slabs and bring 1 slab at a low tax rate. The way it should have been in the first place” Rahul Gandhi said.

“The idea is to set the narrative for the 2019 election. The BJP, which is our opposition, is trying to seize the narrative. They are trying to take the narrative to old, 2014 election narrative of polarization, divisiveness and hyper-nationalism,” Congress manifesto committee chairman P. Chidambaram said