India's ruling party unveils poll platform

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NEW DELHI, Mar 24 (AFP): India's ruling Congress Party unveiled its election manifesto Tuesday, saying that young people, rural infrastructure and small industries would be its campaign priorities.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi announced their policies ahead of the April 16 to May 13 polls, which are being fought over issues ranging from rising unemployment to national security.
Congress is expected to play on its record of nine per cent growth during its five-year term, but the economy is now growing at its slowest pace since 2003 despite three recent stimulus packages.
The party is locked in a bitter campaign with the opposition Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accuses it of being soft on terrorism over the Islamist militant attacks on Mumbai in November that left 165 people dead.
The attacks and the global financial meltdown failed to stop Congress from performing well in state elections late last year.
A poll published Monday predicted Congress would secure the most seats in the upcoming elections but would need to sign up with smaller parties to form a government.