BJP manifesto communal, says Congress, Left, AAP

Political parties including the Congress, Left and the AAP Monday branded the BJP's much-awaited manifesto as a "communal" document with the Congress going to the extent of saying that it was "copied".

The Congress also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) manifesto shows that the party believes in personality-based and not policy-based politics.

"We are truly flattered in the Congress and feel complimented after all the taunts we have been hearing. This is nothing...not even a cut and paste job. It seems that it is the same manifesto (as the Congress one), only the name has been replaced," party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference here.

"Perhaps so much time has been taken as copying takes time. It is first in the electoral history of India, the first time that a manifesto has been released after people have reached the polling booth," he said referring to the manifesto being released on the day the first phase of the nine phase Lok Sabha elections was held.

Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said: "There are two or three other features of the manifesto which invite comment. Reading the party's manifesto it seems they are a party of 'Kumbakarnas' as they have promised schemes which are already underway over the last 10 years".

"For example, they are talking about introducing pension scheme - a national social assistance programme and pension for aged, widow and disabled already exists," he noted.

Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta raised the point of Ram Mandir that the BJP has again promised to built.

"They have again come up with the slogan that Ram Mandir should be constructed, only with the intention of consolidating Hindu votes in the country," he said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Prakash Karat said: "BJP manifesto is communal and divisive. It shows how dangerous the mix of Hindutva and corporate power could be."

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) said the most worrying part of BJP's election manifesto - in line with the recent speeches of their party leaders - is the reiteration of their communal agenda.

"With the promise rebuilding the Ram Mandir and abrogation of Article 370 (of the constitution) in their manifesto the BJP has shown that the agenda of development was a short-term farce and that communal and divisive policies are their true agenda," the AAP said in a statement.