New Delhi - India's ruling Congress party released its election manifesto on Tuesday saying eradicating terrorism, protecting farmers and maintaining economic growth in the face of the global economic crisis will be its priorities.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi unveiled the party's policies in national capital New Delhi, ahead of the April 16 to May 13 elections.

"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.

"I appeal to the people to vote for Manmohan Singh," she said in seeking another term for her party.

Gandhi, who heads the United Progressive Alliance government, had refused the country's top office after election in 2004, and ruled out the possibility of her becoming the party's prime ministerial candidate.

"I had made my position clear in 2004 and there is no change in that position even now," she said.

In its manifesto, the Congress party pitched itself the party best equipped to deal "decisively" with the challenges of terrorism and "severe recession."

Singh said Congress was the only political party of national consequence and claimed his government had fulfilled its promises to the common people.

"We seek a fresh mandate on the basis of our heritage, record of service and vision of the future. We reaffirm our unflinching commitment to the welfare of all our people, especially to the well-being of the weaker sections of our society," the document said.

The manifesto also took the credit for a "forceful diplomatic campaign" after last November's Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 170 people dead that led to Pakistan admitting for the first time that its nationals carried out the assault.

The Congress accused the main opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party of dividing the country on communal lines and called the "third front" (an amalgam of regional and left-wing parties) a recipe for political instability.

More than 710 million voters are eligible to cast their vote for the 545 constituencies across India, the world's largest democracy. The results of the five-phase elections will be out on May 16.

A recent poll showed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was likely to beat the BJP challenge, but would need to partner with smaller parties to form a government. (dpa)