Jaipur, Nov 18: Seeking a mandate from the voters in Rajasthan to retain power, the Congress declared its election manifesto with several new promises but steering clear of controversial issues like reservation for the poorer sections in the upper castes. The manifesto was released by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state unit president Girija Vyas and the poll campaign committee president Ram Niwas Mirdha, at the party state headquarters here.
Asked about the upper castes reservation issue finding no mention in the manifesto, Gehlot said the Congress had already expressed its views favouring granting of this facility on economic criteria.
Now, it was for the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to initiate follow-up action, the Chief Minister said.
The party also listed in the manifesto its various ''achievements'' that included drought relief management, good governance, infrastructure development and poverty alleviation programmes.
The new sectors included were tourism, arts and culture, wild life protection and environment, mining and information technology.
The Congress pledged in the manifesto to pay special attention in solving the water crisis, for achieving 100 per cent literacy, employment for all and to protect the dignity of the poor, the oppressed and the exploited.
It promised to ensure that the peasants got the full value for their produces, for securing self-reliance in power generation, to develop new culture in the industrial sector and lay a well-knit road network in the entire state.
Reiterating that the Congress would continue to offer ''good governance'' , it promised all round development of the desert state.
Bureau Report