Congress Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi made a pledge on Friday that if his party comes to power in the Lok Sabha elections, it will reserve 50 percent of government jobs for women. Gandhi emphasized that since women make up around half of India's population and their presence in higher education is also significant, they deserve equal representation in the workforce. He expressed this commitment on the social platform X, stating that Congress believes in "Aadhi Abaadi Poora Haq" (Half Population, Full Rights), understanding that women's potential can only be fully realized when they have an equal share in governance.

Gandhi further announced that the Congress has decided to reserve half of all new government job recruitments for women. Additionally, the party advocates for the immediate implementation of women's reservation in Parliament and state assemblies. He stressed that ensuring women have secure incomes, stability, and self-respect will make them the backbone of society. According to Gandhi, having women occupy 50 percent of government positions will empower every woman in the country and significantly impact India's future.

Earlier, the Congress had outlined five guarantees for women ahead of the general elections. These include:

- "Mahalakshmi" Guarantee: Providing an annual assistance of ₹1 lakh through direct cash transfer to one woman from every poor family.

- "Aadhi Aabaadi, Poora Haq" Guarantee: Reserving 50 percent of all new central government job recruitments for women.

- "Shakti ka Samman" Guarantee: Doubling the Centre's contribution to the monthly pay of ASHA, anganwadi, and mid-day meal workers.

- "Adhikar Maitri" Guarantee: Appointing an "adhikaar maitri" in every panchayat to educate women about their legal rights and assist them in enforcement.

- "Savitri Bai Phule Hostels" Guarantee: Doubling the number of hostels for working women in the country, with at least one in each district.