Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday shared a video of an unusual interaction during his Kerala poll campaign, where he met a man dressed as ‘Yamaraj’ — the Hindu God of Death — on a bus ride in Balussery.The interaction appeared to be part of a promotional pitch for the UDF’s proposed Oommen Chandy Health Insurance Scheme, under which the alliance has promised health coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh for every household in the state.In the video, the mace-wielding ‘Yamaraja’ tells Gandhi that he is out of work as people will live longer because of the proposed insurance scheme.Referring to the encounter, the leader of opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha said on X, “Yesterday in Balussery, Keralam, I met Yamaraj on a bus. Unfortunately he wasn’t particularly happy to see me or the other UDF leaders.“UDF’s Oommen Chandy Health Insurance Scheme promises Rs 25 lakh health coverage for every household — this is going to put Yamaraj out of work but we’ll find him another job soon.”Highlighting the objective of the promise, Gandhi said, “Our mission is simple — no family in Keralam should ever have to feel the financial burden of a medical crisis. With Rs 25 lakh coverage, we’re ensuring that illness never robs a family of its dignity, its savings or its future. Healthcare is a right and UDF is here to make it real for every Keralite.”The health insurance scheme is among the key welfare promises announced by the United Democratic Front (UDF) for the Kerala polls.The alliance has pledged five Indira guarantees, including free travel for all women on Kerala state transport buses, monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 for college-going girl students, and an increase in welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 per month.Apart from this, the UDF has also promised the Oommen Chandy Health Insurance Scheme, which offers coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh for each family, along with interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for small businesses.Polling in Kerala is scheduled for April 9, while counting for the elections will take place on May 4.
