In an effort to allay major voter fears ahead of next week’s elections, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pledged on Sunday to increase infrastructure, generate jobs, and extend welfare programs if it wins a third term. 

Record Tying Third Term

Starting on April 19, there will be seven phases to the general election, which ends on June 1. Results are anticipated on June 4th, when votes are scheduled to be counted.

Given his 10-year record of robust economic growth, infrastructure projects, social transfers, and strident Hindu nationalism, Modi, 73, is favored to win a record-tying third term.

Modi declared, “Our focus is on dignity of life… on quality of life, our focus is also on creating jobs through investment,” following the unveiling of the manifesto, known as Modi’s Guarantee, at the party headquarters in the capital.

In an effort to address unhappiness over rising unemployment rates amid robust economic growth, Modi said the manifesto is focused on creating jobs in industries like infrastructure, aviation, railroads, electric vehicles, green energy, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals, among others.

He addressed a standing ovation from BJP members, some of whom were senior federal ministers seated in the audience donning stoles emblazoned with the party’s lotus emblem. “India’s youth will not have even imagined the number of opportunities that will come their way,” he said.

Empty Promises Claimed By Congress

The biggest opposition party, Congress, which has been having difficulty turning things around, declared that a manifesto full of “empty promises” did not impress it.

Congressman Manish Tewari remarked, “People want to know what happened in the last ten years.” “Common people’s backs have been broken by inflation and widespread unemployment. The nation’s citizens will hold Modi accountable for the events of the previous ten years.”

Additionally, Modi promised to increase the scope of welfare programs. These would include requiring all Indians over 70 to enroll in the free health insurance program already in place and requiring all homes to have piped cooking gas connections in order to continue the 2016-launched subsidised cooking gas cylinder program.