New Delhi, Mar 24: The Congress party on Tuesday said that its focus in the 2009 general elections would be on eradicating the menace of terrorism, protecting farmers, countering the impact of global recession and enhancing the reach of the national job guarantee scheme.

Releasing the party''s manifesto in the national capital this afternoon, both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh claimed that the Congress was the only political outfit of national consequence, and a party that had fulfilled its promises to the common man.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonia Gandhi said neither she nor her son Rahul Gandhi were in the race for prime ministership, and she added that Dr. Singh would remain the prime ministerial candidate of the party.

"There can be many candidates for the post of prime minister, but nobody stands in front of Manmohan Singh. He has both experience and competence," Gandhi said.

Gandhi also expressed confidence that people would vote for the Congress keeping in mind the party''s achievements in the last five years.

Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for supporting their candidate Varun Gandhi''s recent anti-Muslim remarks in Pilibhit, Dr. Singh said the latter''s comments represented the party''s mindset. He accused the BJP of dividing the country on communal lines.

He also blamed the Left for being regressive, and added that the Left parties and the BJP have a "negative mindset", which is not capable of taking the nation forward.

Expressing concern over the unstable situation in South Asia, Dr. Singh said: "If I look at the challenges around India, I see instability."

He also pointed out the menace of terrorism in Pakistan and other issues in neighbouring Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

He, however, conveyed hope for the nation saying, "When I look at the opportunities, I am convinced that this country can move forward on road to faster growth," adding that the benefits of development can be passed to each section of society, particularly the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the minorities. (ANI)