Haryana Gears Up for Assembly Polls with Populist Measures  

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana, led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, has shifted into populist mode as it prepares for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for October. After a lacklustre performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the ruling party is leaving no stone unturned to woo voters and counter potential anti-incumbency sentiments. 

Wooing Voters with Incentives

One of the key measures unveiled by the Saini government is the 'Haryana Antyodaya Parivar Parivahan Yojana' (HAPPY), which aims to provide free travel facilities to underprivileged families in Haryana Roadways buses. Under this scheme, National Common Mobility Cards (NCMCs) are being distributed to 84 lakh beneficiaries from 24 lakh families across the state, allowing them to travel up to 1,000 km annually at no cost. 

Addressing Grievances and Streamlining Processes 

The government is also taking steps to address grievances related to the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) or family ID scheme, and the property ID scheme. The aim is to streamline the grievance redressal system, particularly for rural voters who expressed discontent with the BJP during the recent parliamentary polls. 

Additionally, the e-tendering process is set to be tweaked to appease elected representatives, especially sarpanches (village heads), who opposed the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

Accelerating Recruitment Drives 

To address the issue of unemployment, which was a significant concern during the parliamentary elections, the ongoing government recruitment drives are being expedited. The aim is to recruit maximum youths in the coming three months, capitalizing on the lull created by the enforcement of the model code of conduct during the Lok Sabha polls. 

Monitoring Scheme Implementation

Furthermore, the state government plans to launch a special campaign to monitor the implementation of central and state schemes for targeted beneficiaries. Proper monitoring, which was hindered due to the model code of conduct, is expected to boost the party's prospects in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Denying Populist Allegations 

While the BJP government is going all out to provide sops and incentives to various sections of society, party leaders have denied allegations of populism. Varinder Garg, joint treasurer of the Haryana BJP, asserted, "The BJP government has worked with the motto of 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikas' for nearly 10 years. It is merely a coincidence that certain incentives are being provided to the underprivileged sections of society just before the elections. There is nothing populist in these new sops." 

Opposition's Criticism 

However, the opposition parties have criticized the BJP government's moves as blatant populism. They argue that these measures are a desperate attempt to regain voter confidence after the party's poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. 

As the Assembly elections draw closer, the political landscape in Haryana is set to witness intense campaigning and heated debates. The ruling BJP's ability to convince voters of the sincerity behind its initiatives will be put to the test, while the opposition will aim to capitalize on any perceived shortcomings or opportunistic measures.