Cong manifesto for LS elections in final stages

The Congress manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections is in the final stages of being approved by senior leaders of the party.

The Congress manifesto for the 2009 Lok Sabha elections is in the final stages of being approved by senior leaders of the party.

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A draft was prepared in the last meeting of the Manifesto Committee of the party, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday.

"We have completed our job. The draft will be submitted to the Congress President..." Mukherjee told reporters after the 2-hour long meeting of the committee.

Chief spokesman of the Congress and member of the Manifesto Committee, M Veerappa Moily refused to reveal the focus areas but indicated that youth and agriculture will be amongst the priority areas.

"It is not politically wise to reveal the details and speak on everything in the manifesto," he said.

Moily said that this was the tenth and final meeting of the committee and the party had discussions with 15 groups and also got inputs from Union Ministers, PCC chiefs and the CLP leaders of various states.

"This is one of the most exhaustive exercises ever made anywhere in the country. The material is unprecedented. Pranab Mukherjee will submit the draft to the Congress Working Committee and the party President," he said.

"There are umpteen number of achievements of the party in the last five years," Moily said.