After Winning 3 States On Pension Guarantee, Congress Lok Sabha Manifesto Drops Mention

Congress unveiled its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Notably absent from the document is any mention of the old pension scheme. Led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the manifesto emphasizes the party's commitment to justice, built upon its 'five pillars'. Responding to inquiries about the exclusion of the old pension scheme from the manifesto, Chidambaram, head of the Congress manifesto committee, clarified, "It's not missing, it's in our consideration." He explained that the party opted not to address the issue in the manifesto due to the government's recent formation of a committee to examine the provisions of the New Pension Scheme (NPS). "We will reassess the situation following the committee's findings and proceed accordingly," he stated. To court voters in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, Congress had previously highlighted the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) as a significant commitment. Despite promising enhanced pensions for government employees, the party suffered defeats in these states. Interestingly, its sole victory in Telangana was achieved without this particular pledge.