New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (Mar 22, 2004) released the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections promising to work for improving the living standards of farmers, ensuring livelihood for each family, legal and social equality to women, a better deal for weaker sections and entrepreneurs.

Unveiling the Congress policies if voted to power, Gandhi said that "full equality in all aspects" would be ensured for the dalits and other weaker sections of the society.

Asserting that the party has made a number of "credible commitments", she charged that under the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) rule, unemployment has spiralled and that agriculture has received a "serious setback".

Asked why there was no mention of foreign policy in the manifesto, Gandhi said that her party would be releasing in the next few days three "Vision Documents" on economic policy, social empowerment and national security and foreign policy.

The vision document on national security and foreign policy would in detail project the party's stand on foreign affairs as it felt that the manifesto should not be "bulky", she said.

On whether Congress would roll back some of the economic decision taken by the Vajpayee Government if it formed the Government at the Centre, senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee said that it could have a fresh look at disinvestment policy by which the BJP-led Government had squandered the assets of the people.

"We would like to have a totally transparent arrangement and look forward to 4.5 per cent growth in agriculture and boost investment," he said.

Gandhi said that her party would be "accountable" to the people and every year on October two present a "progress report" of implementation of its commitments.

Observing that there was a choice of "competing visions" before the people, she said one was "secular nationalism" being pursued by the Congress and the other was "narrow, bigoted and parochial nationalism" being followed by the BJP.

To a question on BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu's remarks that Vajpayee Government may enact a law to debar people of foreign original holding high posts, Gandhi said, "They keeping talking about it. It will be people of India who will decide. Why did they not bring it earlier? We will see when it comes."

She regretted that her party had not been able to live upto the expectations of providing 33 per cent seats to women candidates while stressing that it was her endeavour to give proper representation to them.

Gandhi, who was flanked by Mukherjee and Manmohan Singh at the press conference, said that if brought back to power, Congress Government would endeavour to provide around one crore-job opportunities to the people every year.

Asked if the party would formulate a common minimum programme it has entered into alliances with certain other parties, she said if the situation so demands, Congress would consider it.

Gandhi used the occasion to accuse the BJP of keeping its political agenda hidden under the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) umbrella.

The manifesto, copies of which were made available in Hindi and English, has been packaged differently, she said adding that it was "short, pointed, action-oriented and transparent".

Recalling that the Congress party was founded on secular nationalism and given political direction to the country for decades, she pledged that it would ensure dignified place for each citizen.