Cong seeks suggestions for manifesto

Marching in the footsteps of arch-rival BJP, the Congress on Wednesday launched a website inviting suggestions for its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi declaring his intent of bringing politics out of closed doors.

Amid much fanfare, the Congress launched the website www.incmanifesto.in at a rally in this nondescript Rajasthan town, where a teenage girl and her grandmother made suggestions from the podium.

Gandhi announced that he had given the mandate of drawing suggestions from the public to Union ministers Sachin Pilot and Jitendra Singh, and party MP Deepender Hooda.

“I want to change the manner in which politics is conducted in this country. Your future cannot be decided by a few people sitting behind closed doors,” he said.

Pilot said those who do not have internet access can give in their suggestions by filling a form available with the district units of the Congress.

The BJP has already launched a website for inviting suggestions from the public.Pilot said every person should feel that he or she is a part of policy-making.

“Whenever a manifesto is drafted, it will not be a manifesto of the party but of the people. We will sincerely try and implement it,” said Gandhi.

CWG gold-medallist joins Grand Old Party

Indian discus-thrower Krishna Punia on Wednesday joined the Congress at a rally addressed by Rahul Gandhi ahead of Assembly elections in the state in December, DHNS reports from Charu in Rajasthan.

There had already been speculation about Punia, the only Indian woman track-and-field athlete to have won an individual gold medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, joining the Congress following 2004 Olympics silver-medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s entry into BJP at a rally in Jaipur attended by Narendra Modi.