Haryana: Khattar pooh-poohs Sonia's return as Cong president

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday pooh-poohed Sonia Gandhi's return as the interim president of the Congress party.

Addressing an election rally, Chief Minister Khattar recalled: "After losing the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi resigned as the Congress president and started saying that the party should get new president from outside Gandhi family," Khattar said.

"We thought this was good, to move away from nepotism (parivarvad)... But they spent three months moving around the country in search of a new party president. After three months who became the president? Sonia Gandhi. Khoda Pahar Nikli Chuiya, Vo Bhi Mari Hui. This is their condition," added Khattar.

Earlier today, the BJP released its manifesto and made a host of promises to woo the electorate ahead of Haryana Assembly election.

In the manifesto titled 'Mhare Sapno Ka Haryana' (Haryana of Our Dreams), the party made a plethora of promises ranging from launching Haryana Start-up Mission, creating Yuva Vikas and Rozgar Ministry, one All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), doubling of farmers' income by 2022 and increase in pension.

The state has a total of about 19,500 polling stations in 10,309 locations. It goes to polls on October 21. The counting of votes will take place on October 24.