SHIMLA: In assembly election it would be difficult for the Congress party to face unemployed voters. In 2012 assembly election, the party had promised to provide the unemployment allowance but on coming to power it backtracked citing poor financial condition of the state. The party has, however, in its recent election manifesto for the Punjab and Uttrakhand assembly polls, has promised to give Rs 2500 monthly unemployment allowance. Now explaining the same to voters would be a big challenge for the state leaders.In the page 24 of its election manifesto of 2012 assembly election, Congress party had promised unemployment allowance of Rs 1000 per month to all 10+2 and graduate youth of state having a total family income upto Rs 2 lakh per annum, while physically challenged graduate unemployed youth were to be given Rs 1500 per month.Since forming the government on December 25, 2012, not even a single unemployed youth has received the promised unemployment allowance while Congress leadership in Punjab and Uttrakhand are making similar promises.Claiming that election manifesto is like Geeta (holy book), Transport Minister G S Bali during live interaction on Facebook on Saturday said that in Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is citing financial constraints as for non-payment of unemployment allowance, while in Punjab, Congress party has promised to Pay Rs 2500 unemployment allowance in recently concluded election and in Uttrakhand, Chief Minister would take the guarantee to pay Rs 2500 unemployment allowance.He said financial constraints could be there but ways and means could be found by discussing the matter. He said that unemployment allowance was promised in the election manifesto so that youth could buy newspapers and could have money at their disposal to attend interviews.Bali said that unemployment promise was made in 2012 election after careful consideration. He said that people had voted the party to power on the basis of manifesto and same should be implemented in totality as manifesto is now policy document of the government.Virbhadra Singh on Saturday itself had said that unemployment allowance cannot be given as financial condition of state is not that good. He said that in the 2012 assembly election manifesto some points were included which were difficult to fulfill. He had also said that when election manifesto was being prepared he was busy in campaigning.Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal said that taking u-turns from his decisions has become habit of Virbhadra Singh. He said that when opposition had raised the issue of unemployment allowance in assembly, Virbhadra Singh had claimed that manifesto was not prepared by him but by the "less experienced" people. "Virbhadra Singh should now tell public names of less experienced Congress leaders who had prepared the election manifesto," he added

Stay updated with all the Latest Shimla headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.