The Congress will announce its list of candidates anytime for the second phase of Assembly elections in Gujarat, the party spokesperson said in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
"The process of selection of candidates is complete at the state level. Whatever work is left needs to be completed by the high command," said AICC spokesperson Mohan Prakash, adding that the Congress' attempts to align with secular parties were still on.
He said that the selection of candidates this time was better, more acceptable and result-oriented as compared to earlier times. "We feel it is the best list that the party has ever come out with," said Prakash.
Asked why the main Opposition party was taking a long time to release the list, Prakash said a lot of people had applied to contest and they wanted to select the best.
"Both Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP had tried to harm the federal system, disturb social harmony and basic secular principles," he said.
Gujarat would witness a clash between two differing ideologies - Congress' inclusive ideology and Modi's autocracy, the party leader said.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Jyantilal Parmar said the work done by the Congress during its regime in the state against the BJP's six years of misrule and the achievements of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre were going to be the major poll issues.
He added that the party manifesto would be released shortly.
Attacking the BJP Government, Prakash said the administration had failed in all segments, including education, law and order.
Universities in the state have RSS activists as vice-chancellors and pro vice-chancellors who take part in Chief Minister Narendra Modi's programmes, he said, adding that the Election Commission had taken note of this.
The BJP government, which always talks about culture and nationalism, has not bothered to set up academies that would nurture various arts forms and literature, the Congress leader said.
He also ridiculed Modi's claim of development in the state.
"Whatever development has taken place here has been due to the UPA government's policies. However, Modi has not been able to take full advantage of that," the AICC spokesperson added.
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