The last bid for a CMP was thwarted as both the Left and the TMC were not too keen about working with each other.
A failed bid for a Common Minimum Programme notwithstanding, a charge-sheet of the Modi government’s work in key sectors is being prepared by a group of over 200 non-governmental and civil society organisations as well as people’s movement groups. An announcement on April 6 at Talkatora Stadium will be made by these organisations in favour of “liberal, democratic ideals”.
Senior political leaders from the Opposition, including CPIM leader Sitaram Yechury, LJD’s Sharad Yadav, RJD’s Manoj Jha are likely to attend, as well as UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could attend the function. Parties who these organisations will support include the RJD, NCP, DMK, CPI, CPM, National Conference, and TDP. While Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu and DMK’s Kanimozhi will not attend due to elections, they will either send representatives or video messages.
It remains unclear whether TMC will attend. The last bid for a CMP was thwarted as both the Left and the TMC were not too keen about working with each other.
The organisations will make a document, the Jan Sarokar -- Peoples’ Agenda 2019 -- which will be doubly a charge-sheet of the Modi government in several sectors as well as a charter of demands to political parties so that they make announcements in certain areas in their poll manifesto. Liberal ideas platform Samruddha Bharat Foundation is the organising body and is acting as a bridge between the political parties and organisations; it is the same organisation that created the earlier document.
“The Peoples’ Agenda 2019 is a first of its kind platform of multiple stakeholders to safeguard and further the constitutional idea of India,” said Pushparaj Deshpande, managing trustee and directors of SBF.
Prominent among the key organisations who will participate are Right to Food Campaign, RTE Forum, Pension Parishad, People’s Accountability for Income Guarantee, One Billion Rising, NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, National Federation for Indian Women, No Voters Left Behind, NCPRI, NCDHR, NAPM, National Campaign for Adivasi Rights, NAPM, and Jan Swasthya Andolan, to name a few.
These organisations will additionally bring in a workforce of 10,000 people who will campaign for these parties if they espouse these liberal ideas in their manifestos. Key sectors where the demands will be presented are education, health, democratic ideals, Dalit and Adivasi, minorities, women, gender, etc.
The coming together of these organisations is a firsts or sorts, save for the anti-corruption movement in 2011 and 2012 before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when several civil bodies came together to demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sonia Gandhi")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}