Election manifestos: BJP, Congress and AAP's stand on key issues

The Bharatiya Janata Party raleased its 2014 election manifesto on April 7, the day voting began for the 16th Lok Sabha. The Congress had already come out with the document on March 26 while the Aam Aadmi Party, which has generated a lot of curiosity by its unorthodox methods, had done so on April 3.

While all the three manifestos talk about increasing the economic growth rate, better governance, security to women and robust foreign policy among other things, there are some differences too.

Below are the differences and similarities in the three documents:

National Security

BJP: Narendra Modi underlined that there will be zero tolerance on terrorism, extremism and crime. The manifesto says there should be a clear roadmap for dealing with national security issues.

Congress: Address the challenges of Left Wing Extremism. Ensure that police forces are equipped with modern weapons and technology. Development agenda to empower the people in LWE affected areas will continue.

AAP: Review laws like AFSPA, zero tolerance towards terrorism, Kashmir an integral part of India.

FDI

BJP: The party makes its opposition to FDI in multi-brand retail clear. However, it is open to FDI in other sectors if it creates employment.

Congress: FDI in multi-brand retail will bring better returns to farmers.

AAP: Opposed to FDI in retail.

Education

BJP: Revive Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, restructure UGC into a Higher Education Commission, online vocational training, skill mapping.

Congress: Encourage quality education and sports infrastructure in India. A National Sports Education University to nurture talent. Party will address issues relating to discrimination against students from the North East and J&K.

AAP: Equitable access to quality education to all, special provisions for girls, establish institutions like IITs and AIIMS.

Defence

BJP: Encourage technology transfer in defence manufacturing, independent strategic nuclear programme.

Congress: Ensure a transparent process of procuring state-of-the-art equipment. Fresh impetus to upgrading domestic manufacturing capabilities. Ensure welfare of ex-servicemen by establishing a "National Commission for Ex-Servicemen".

AAP: Transparency in defence procurement, integrated approach to all three services, encourage indigenous production of weapons, one rank one pension, secure borders through better infrastructure.

Economy:

BJP: Check price rise, create employment and encourage entrepreneurship, check corruption, bring back black money, remove policy paralysis. Some of the other key economic and policy-related proposals include bringing all state governments on board for GST (goods and services tax); rationalistaion and simplification of tax regime; targeting inflation and high interest rates and reviewing outdated labour laws.

Congress: 8 per cent plus growth rate within three years. Zero aversion to foreign investment. "Direct Tax Code" and the "GST" Bills will increase aggregate revenue. Party's "Jobs Agenda" aims at creating 10 crore new jobs.

AAP: Emphasises on more jobs, controlling price rise and empowering the common people, bring back black money stashed abroad, and simplify taxation system.