India's Modi promises jobs, infrastructure if BJP wins third term

NEW DELHI — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised on Sunday (April 14) to create jobs, boost infrastructure and expand welfare programmes if it wins a third term, seeking to address key voter concerns ahead of next week's elections.

The general election, which begins on April 19, will be held in seven stages until June 1. Votes are due to be counted on June 4 and results expected the same day.

Modi, 73, is widely tipped to win a record-equalling third term on the back of his 10-year record, which includes strong economic growth, infrastructure projects, welfare handouts and aggressive Hindu nationalism.

Surveys, however, suggest unemployment, inflation and rural distress remain issues of concern in the world's most populous country despite its strong economy, and addressing these will be Modi's biggest challenge.

"Our focus is on dignity of life... on quality of life, our focus is also on creating jobs through investment," Modi said after releasing the manifesto, titled Modi's Guarantee, at the party headquarters in the capital.

Modi said the manifesto is focused on creating jobs in sectors such as infrastructure, aviation, railways, electric vehicles, green energy, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, among others, in a bid to address discontent at unemployment levels that are rising despite strong economic growth.

"India's youth will not have even imagined the number of opportunities that will come their way," he told cheering BJP members, including top federal ministers who sat in the audience wearing stoles featuring the BJP's lotus symbol.

Congress claims empty promises

Congress, the main opposition party, which has been struggling to revive its fortunes, said it was not