BJP manifesto blackout in northeast areas voting Monday

Electors in Assam and Tripura, voting in Monday's first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha, will cast their ballot unaware of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) unified vision of development and prescription for economic revival, differences over which have reportedly delayed its release.

The election code of conduct mandates a media blackout of the party's manifesto when it is released Monday.

"Section 126, part 1 b of the election rules prohibits any propaganda by parties in the 48 hours leading to the opening of the polls," a senior Election Commission official told IANS.

"There cannot, therefore, be any dissemination of a party's manifesto by any media in areas going to vote in the first phase of polling," he added.

The manifesto is also expected to make passing reference to the other contentious issue of Hindutva, that in concrete terms mainly involves the issues of constructing the Ram temple at Ayodhya, a uniform civil code and doing away with special status for Jammu and Kashmir, so as not to upset possible allies, party sources told IANS.