Congress to step up its election campaign

A day after Congress released its manifesto, sources said the party had drawn up elaborate plans to popularise it by holding public rallies, including joint rallies with top Indian National, Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders.

Sources said former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will hold a joint rally with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at Coimbatore on April 12. Similar rallies are also being planned in U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra under the INDIA bloc banner.

On Saturday, Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh claimed the Lok Sabha polls are “not fair” and that Opposition parties are being targeted. Still, despite that, the INDIA bloc will get a clear majority in the elections.

“This election is not fair, with action being taken against opposition parties, but despite this, we believe that the INDIA ‘janbandhan’ [people’s alliance] will get a clear mandate because of the public response to the Congress and its allies’ ‘paunch nyay, pachees guarantees’, which reflect the needs of the people,” Mr. Ramesh said.

The Congress leader also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over their recent remarks that “new India” can carry out strikes inside enemy territory; the Congress communication chief called them “diversionary” tactics.