The party made it clear that there will be no change in the current ceiling of 49 per cent reservation under SC, ST and OBC categories.
The Congress, in its manifesto, also tried to woo farmers by promising them farm loan waivers if the party forms the government in the state.
Highlights of Congress manifesto for Gujarat elections:
- Petrol and diesel prices in the state to be slashed by Rs 10 per litre.
- No change in reservation already provided to members of SC, ST and OBC communities.
- Farmers to get 16 hours electricity. All farmers to be given electricity connection.
- Construction of 25 lakh houses.
- Farm debt to be waived off.
- 16-hour power supply to farms.
- Equal rights for members of Patidar community in education and for jobs.
- Laptops and smartphones for college students.
How Congress and BJP stack up against each other in Gujarat:
The Congress in Gujarat is banking on its star campaigner Rahul Gandhi and support from a clutch of caste leaders to bridge the around 9 per cent vote share gap that led the BJP to retain power in 2012.
However, the saffron party, which is in power in Gujarat for over two decades, is not only confident of retaining its 2012 base, but also expanding the vote share.
Gujarat will vote in two phases -- on December 9 and 14 -- to elect a new 182-member Assembly. The counting of votes will take place on December 18.
The Congress is hoping attendance at Gandhi's rallies will translate into votes and it will get an extra push from new-found local allies -- Patidar quota spearhead Hardik Patel, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani.
While Thakor has joined the Congress, Hardik Patel, who heads the Patidar Anamat Aandolan Samiti, has pledged his support to the main opposition party.
Mevani, who has positioned himself as the face of Dalit agitation in Gujarat, is contesting from Vadgam in North Gujarat as an independent. The Congress is supporting him by not fielding a candidate of its own.
On the other hand, the BJP is focussing on holding together its votes from the trading community and tribals.
According to the Election Commission of India's data on the 2012 Gujarat polls, the BJP had received 47.85 per cent of the valid votes, while the Congress garnered 38.93 per cent votes, a difference of 8.92 per cent between the two parties.
Though there was a difference of 9 per cent votes, the BJP won 115 seats and the Congress 61. The NCP and Keshubhai Patel's Gujarat Parivartan Party bagged two seats each.
The Janata Dal (U) won one seat and an independent, too, emerged victorious.
In 2012, Gujarat had over 3.8 crore voters, spread over 26 districts. The turnout was 72.02 per cent, the highest-ever in Gujarat's history, according to an EC report released after the 2012 polls.
As per the latest electoral roll, Gujarat has over 4.35 crore voters.
(With inputs from PTI)