Reviving the Ayodhya issue,the BJP today promised to build a Ram temple but Congress came out with plans to create 20 lakh jobs for unemployed youth in their manifestos for the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh where both parties are trailing major players BSP and SP. The BJP also outlined its economic plans including the creation of one crore jobs in five years,sops to farmers and those below poverty line. BJP,which has been struggling hard to regain its pre-eminent position in the state,brought back the Ayodhya issue which had once propelled the party to the centre-stage of national politics in the late 80s and through the nineties. "Construction of a grand temple is associated with the faith of crores of people of the country. Ram is the symbol of prestige,pride and dignity of the country. "Unfortunately,due to pseudo-secularism and vote bank politics it is being opposed. BJP is committed to removing all hurdles in the path of the construction of a Ram temple," said the manifesto,released by a battery of leaders including Uma Bharati,the hindutva mascot. The party also opposed religion-based reservation and attacked the Congress for the Centre's decision to carve out a 4.5 per cent sub-quota for Muslims from the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in jobs. On the other hand,the Congress brought out a 'Vision Document 2020' for Uttar Pradesh,where it has been out of power for over two decades. It promised to set up 1,000 skill centres and create two lakh jobs. The document was released in 10 different cities by a host of leaders. Union Minister Salman Khurshid and UPCC President Rita Bahuguna released the document here which promised to provide sub-quota for most backward classes and eliminate corruption. The document also envisioned job and education quota for socially and educationally backward minorities among OBCs commensurate with their population.
