Taking cue from Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to provide the free laptops to 12th pass students in the state.
State NCP president Sunil Tatkare said with modernisation technology plays a vital role in shaping the career of students. "Laptops will help students gain maximum knowledge. After 12th, most students go for engineering and other technology-based faculties where they need laptops. Therefore, the NCP has taken an initiative to provide free of cost laptops to these students. We have made this promise in our election manifesto," said Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson.
Sources in NCP told dna that providing laptops is ex-deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's idea. "Dada says that the NCP has a solid base in rural Maharashtra due to its concrete work in the cooperative sector. However, in the urban areas it is disconnected and thus failed to improve its tally in the last 15 years. Most of the young voters are also alienated from NCP and its policies. We want to bring them closer to the party and its secular ideology. These voters are techno-savvy who are always on social media. If we provide them laptops, then they will connect to us," said a senior NCP leader requested anonymity.
He further said that due to the multi-corner fights this time, the victory margin of each winning candidate will be very thin — between 500 and 5,000 votes. "The laptop promise will make the students excited, and then they can convince their entire family to vote for the NCP. In most of the families, parents follow their kids in terms of taking advise because they are more vocal and understand the policies with a wide perspective in comparison to the old generation," the leader added.
"It's a popular way to attract youngsters. These are gimmicks widely used by almost all political parties. Nevertheless, it will benefit the students from rural areas who cannot not afford to buy laptops. It's a positive move because technology has the power to change the life of impoverished people," said political observer.
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