Narendra Modi releases manifesto for Guj polls

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto for the state assembly elections, saying that it is a blueprint for the development of all sections of the society.

The party's manifesto promises to address the problems of urban and rural housing, water, irrigation and farmers' issues.

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In it, Modi has promised to define a new category of 'neo-middle class', those who have risen above the poverty line but still do not fall in the category of middle- class.

Modi said his government will form various schemes to benefit this class which needs a helping hand.

"Due to the development in Gujarat in the last ten years, there has been substantial rise in this neo-middle class. We want to address their issues," Modi said.

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Seemingly to counter the Congress' poll promises of providing clothes and houses at an affordable rate to rural and urban poor families respectively, the BJP manifesto promises to construct 50 lakh new houses in the next five years.

Congress' promised scheme of low-cost housing had attracted a tremendous response from the people and thousands had queued up in urban and rural areas to get the forms distributed by the party.

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When asked if his manifesto promise of making 50 lakh houses was in response to the opposition party's scheme, Modi said many parties like the Lok Janshakti Party and Janata Dal - United have also released their manifestoes.

"Before the last elections, we had promised 20 lakh houses and before this polls, we are promising 50 lakh houses," he said.

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