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Parties criticize Congress for making old promises in poll manifesto

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ANI New Delhi

Political parties on Wednesday criticized the Congress party for making same old promises and taking no responsibility for their failures in their newly-released election manifesto.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Congress party is accountable for inflation in the country.

"Unemployment is increasing in the country every day. Why is it happening? They should have mentioned this in the manifesto. Why have the challenges of international and national safety increased? If Congress thinks that the opposition has created such an image of them, it's not true. That image of Congress is being seen as a ground reality. If there is inflation, then isn't it true that they have nexus with money grabbers? Congress is solely responsible for inflation. They can't improve their image by imposing the responsibility of their failures on others," said Naqvi.

 

Promising inclusive growth for all sections of society from poor, middle class to business class, the Congress party released its manifesto in its last attempt to fight anti-incumbency in the upcoming general elections.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi unveiled the manifesto, focusing on poverty, women, youth and minorities.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat said the Congress has merely repeated its unfulfilled claims in the manifesto.

"Congress manifesto is repeating the same old promises which they have broken again and again. And I think to repeat jokes that you have broken is a cruel joke on the people. They are talking about health. In the last five to ten years under their watch, health services have become so expensive according to their own figure, crores of people are pushed below the poverty line because they cannot afford health services which are all being privatised and as far as food security is concerned, this again is a cruel joke on the people," said Karat.

The manifesto has promised housing for the poor, pensions for the aged and the disabled and right to health for all. It also talks about a growth rate of eight percent and creation of numerous new jobs.

Face of the party, Rahul Gandhi, focused on empowering poor, calling them the biggest human resources for the country, along with growing industrial section.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashutosh said the Congress has lost people's support and there's no way it can get it back.

"Congress will keep repeating that it fulfilled all its promises. But what's the reality? The atmosphere which is persisting in the country, from that it's clear that people do not trust Congress anymore. No matter whatever they say, it won't change anything," said Ashutosh.

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First Published: Mar 26 2014 | 10:30 PM IST

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