Gujarat polls: BJP, Congress to release manifestos today

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the main opposition Congress will release their respective election manifestos for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat on Monday.

According to reports, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and other senior leaders will release the BJP's manifesto in Ahmedabad.

In the manifesto, the BJP is likely to focus on affordable housing for urban areas and irrigation facilities for agriculture in rural areas.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader LK Advani termed Modi as a "role model" of development.

"Modi is undertaking

great development work in Gujarat. He is a role model for chief ministers of other states on how to rule, govern and take care of even the poorest," Advani said while addressing election rallies at Kalol and Mansa in Gandhinagar district.

Modi, who is looking at a third consecutive term at the helm in Gujarat, is contesting from Ahmedabad's Maninagar seat.


Maninagar is a Modi stronghold and he has held this seat since 2002. In 2007, he defeated the Congress candidate by around 75,000 votes.

The Congress has fielded suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt's wife Shweta Bhatt against Modi from Maninagar this time.

Gujarat will go to the polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 20.