MP elections: Congress' Kamal Nath promises free electricity, aid for women and OPS for govt staffers

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The Congress will provide 100 units of electricity free to households and subsequent units up to 200 at half price if voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, where Assembly polls are scheduled for later this year, the party's state chief Kamal Nath said on Thursday.

Addressing a public meeting in Badnawar, some 50 kilometres from the district headquarters here, Nath also said the party would give Rs 1,500 per month to poor women and bring back the Old Pension Scheme for government employees if it wins the Assembly polls.

"For the first time I am saying 100 units of electricity will be free and 100 units will given at half price if the Congress is voted to power in Madhya Pradesh," Nath said.

Incidentally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has a scheme under which women whose family income is less than Rs 2 lakh annually get Rs 1,000 per month. Slamming the BJP-led Centre, Nath said a row over Hindi had been triggered in Tamil Nadu, pro-Khalistani slogans were being raised in Punjab and Manipur was witnessing violence between tribals and non-tribals, which had led to the deaths of several persons.

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"Efforts are on to divide society. This is a big challenge and we have to act as protectors of our culture. The BJP has politicised religion and brought it into the political arena," Nath said. "I am a proud Hindu but I am not a bewakoof (fool). We have to understand this thing. We have to understand the attacks taking place in our society and country," he said amid slogans of 'Jai Sri Ram' from the people at the rally.

The Congress had emerged as the largest party with 114 seats in the 230-member Assembly in the 2018 polls and Nath went on to become chief minister. However, a rebellion by MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia brought down his government in March 2020 and led to the BJP reclaiming power under Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

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