Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday unveiled five key election promises for Kerala, focusing on women, youth, and social welfare as the grand old party gears up for the upcoming Assembly elections. Gandhi announced the proposals while addressing a gathering in Thiruvananthapuram at the concluding event of Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan’s ‘Puthuyuga Yatra’.
Among the major promises, Gandhi said that women would be allowed free travel on buses operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). The measure, he said, would improve mobility and reduce financial pressure on households.
He also promised a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 for female college students and announced that welfare pensions in the state would be increased to Rs 3,000.
In the healthcare sector, Gandhi said the party would introduce a health insurance scheme modelled on the Rajasthan government’s programme. The scheme, named after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, would provide health insurance coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh per household.
Focusing on employment and entrepreneurship, the Congress leader said young people would be offered interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh to start their own businesses.
He also announced that a dedicated department for senior citizen welfare would be created to strengthen support systems for the elderly.
During his speech, Gandhi sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the PM was under the influence of Donald Trump, the President of the United States. Gandhi claimed that Modi had compromised India’s interests by entering into trade arrangements with the US and opening India’s agricultural sector to foreign interests.
He further alleged that Modi was also “controlling” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, accusing the BJP and CPI(M) of working together in the state to defeat the United Democratic Front (UDF).
A Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee office-bearer said the guarantees announced reflect the UDF’s commitment to strengthening social security and economic stability for families across the state.
According to party leaders, the proposals aim to reduce the financial burden on households while empowering women, supporting students, promoting youth entrepreneurship, and strengthening care for senior citizens.
The UDF is expected to release its detailed election manifesto in the coming days.
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