Hyderabad, November 27: Congress' state unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday released the party's manifesto for Telangana assembly elections 2018. At the event, he was accompanied by Congress veteran and former union minister Jairam Ramesh. The manifesto lays special emphasis on the welfare of minorities, SC/STs and OBCs.

As per reports which accessed the manifesto details, the Congress has promised a honorarium of Rs 6,000 to Imams of mosques and Pastors of churches. The vision document also promises Muslim youth opportunities to get government contracts, Rs 5 lakh assistance for constructing house and Rs 20 lakh aid to students aspiring to study abroad. TRS and Congress Playing ‘Friendly Match’, Says Narendra Modi.

The Congress has also assured the community of providing 12 per cent reservation and designating Urdu as an official language of the state.

Notably, the Muslims, who constitute nearly 12.5 percent of Telangana's population, are likely to influence results in 42 of the 119 constituencies in the state.

The BJP has criticised the Congress' attempt to appeal voters on "communal" lines, saying such measures would create disharmony among religious groups. "Any kind of categorisation on the basis of religion is not provided in the Constitution," said Union Minister Arun Jaitley, while deriding the manifesto as "divisive".

Meanwhile, the Congress has also wooed the backward castes, promising to implement BC Sub Plan -- which would entitle more 26 castes of reservation in government school, colleges and jobs.

The Congress is contesting the state in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI). In the joint manifesto released by by the coalition - named as People's Front - the primary poll plank is waiver of agrarian loans to the tune of Rs 2 lakhs within 20 days after the government is formed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 27, 2018 07:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).