Congress manifesto pushes rural help, jobs

By Surojit Gupta

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The ruling Congress party said on Tuesday in its election manifesto that it would include a hugely subsidised food scheme in new measures to protect farmers and the poor from the impact of the global slowdown.

The proposals announced ahead of the April/May general election included guarantees by law that every family living below the poverty line would be entitled to 25 kg (55 lb) of rice or wheat per month at subsidised prices.

Economists may see the policy as a populist measure to win votes. Millions of Indians live in poverty.

Congress said it would extend interest relief to farmers and build on the national job guarantee scheme, both seen as potential vote winners.

The main battle in the April 16-May 13 ballot will be between a coalition led by the left-of-centre Congress Party and an alliance led by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which has traditionally been more pro-business.

"When I look at the opportunities, I am convinced that this country can move forward on a road to faster, more equitable growth," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said at the manifesto launch in New Delhi.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi confirmed Singh as the party's choice to become prime minister if it wins the election, dismissing speculation that she, or her son Rahul, could head the government.

The global economic crisis has put pressure on Congress, which fears millions of jobs lost in the export sector could hit its electoral chances.