The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Sunday declared its support to the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and its allies in the Lok Sabha election. The traders’ body said that the decision was taken in a meeting after analysing the election manifesto of political parties and keeping in view of better future of the Country.

The apex body of business community representing seven crore traders through more than 40 thousand trade associations and federations across the Country, are now expected to vote for the BJP, it said in a statement.

“The message of CAIT will be percolated down the line through thousands of trade associations across the Country. On the other hand under “whisper campaign’ of CAIT the traders will urge their customers also to vote and support BJP in polls,he said, adding that besides more than 30 crore employees working in business community will also be encouraged to vote and support BJP.

There are about 195 Loksabha seats where traders are in dominance and their voting pattern will decide the results of the polls in such constituencies, it said.

 CAIT National President B C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal informed that this decision has been after consulting prominent trade leaders of the different states of the Country and analysing the political situation & future of the Country at a meeting of trade leaders held at New Delhi. “The meeting also considered the feedback received from traders across Country. The CAIT is engaged in gigantic task to ensure decisive and prominent role of traders in Loksabha polls,” they said.

 In current political situation on the one hand there is PM Modi led NDA which is contesting elections as one unit espousing strengthening of the nation and aiming to take economy first among equals in the world whereas on the other hand there is a Mahagadthbandhan of various parties, the allies of which are contesting elections against each other in various states and as such not capable to give a strong and stable Government in the Country, Khandelwalsaid.

Bhartia and Khandelwal said that today the Country needs leaders who are visionary, committed to take decisions and eager to take India shining at the global platform. “The decisions taken may not be politically beneficial but remains in larger interest of the nation. In last 5 years we have seen Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking such decisions including Goods and Services Tax (GST) demonetisation which could have been politically not fit for BJP but PM Modi remained firm and at the same time amended the decisions several times on the demand of traders and other sections of the people,,” they said, adding that there is an urgent need to eradicate rampant corruption and Inspector Raj as also reining the red-tapism of bureaucracy and under the circumstances Modi is the only capable leader.

The CAIT has studied comparatively election manifesto of both BJP & Congress and BJP has given much prominence and priority to traders by including some of the fundamental core issues in its manifesto including a National Traders Welfare Board, National Policy for Retail Trade, pension to traders attaining the age of 60 years, Accidental Insurance of Rs.10 lakh to traders registered under GST, Merchant Credit Card on the pattern of Kisan Credit Card, Loans upto Rs. 50 lakhs without any collateral security, they said. “The implementation of all these issues will certainly develop internal trade of the Country and will make available various new business opportunities to traders and growth in employment,” they added.

Both Bhartia and Khandelwal informed that after this decision of CAIT, the traders across the Country will engage themselves in making Modi led NDA victorious and will play an important role in bringing a positive political atmosphere in favour of BJP. “The trade associations across the Country will hold meetings of traders in large numbers in commercial markets and will promote traders to vote and support BJP and its allies in Loksabha polls,” they added.

Recently while addressing a traders’ convention at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi, Prime Minister had said that his Government has worked to simplify lives and businesses of traders by scraping 1,500 antiquated laws and will continue to do so.