Congress manifesto identifies 'core' issues

Being released by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the manifesto (2004-09) articulated the party's vision of a politically united, economically strong, socially just and culturally harmonious India with international standing among the comity of nations, party sources said.

Keeping in view of the importance of a large electorate belonging to youth, minorities, women and farmers and rural populace, Congress manifesto would be promising an employment guarantee scheme, reservation for socially and educationally backward minorities and women's reservations Bill.

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The manifesto would be coming out with a comprehensive schemes for farmers which included steps to speed up momentum of public investment in agriculture, a viable crop insurance scheme, measures to increase profitability of farmers and to ensure fair and remunerative prices for their produce.

Speaking to reporters after a Congress Working Committee meeting last week, Sonia had said unemployment and problems of farmers were among the major issues to be taken up by the party in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The CWC had also adopted a "political statement" declaring to "thwart NDA's pursuit of power for parochial and personal ends" by seeking to forge a "solid phalanx of secular political forces" in the polls.