New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) A day before the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told party workers that this is no ordinary election but one to save the Constitution, and exhorted them to tell people that the BJP is "destroying the idea of India".

In a video message, Gandhi told the Congress workers that they have a huge responsibility.

"You are the backbone of our party. I thought that since it is election time, I should talk to you directly. This is not an ordinary election, this is an election to save the Constitution and democracy in which 'Babbar Sher' (lion-hearted) workers like you have a huge responsibility," Gandhi said in his message delivered in both Hindi and English.

"This is because the thinking and ideology of the Congress party is ingrained in you, it is in your veins," he said.

The BJP-RSS are against the idea of India, Gandhi said.

"They are attacking our Constitution, the country's democratic structure, our institutions, including the Election Commission, as well as the legal framework of India," he alleged.

"You fight against the ideology of the RSS on the streets, in villages, and everywhere. You are the defenders," he told the workers.

Gandhi asserted that the Congress is going to defeat the BJP and its ideology.

He asked the Congress workers to tell the public that the BJP is attacking India and "destroying the idea of India" as well as the Constitution.

Terming the Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls excellent, Gandhi listed the party's guarantees such as giving Rs 1 lakh annually to one woman from every poor family, right to apprenticeship, legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, eliminating contract labour, providing 30 lakh government jobs, scrapping the Agniveer scheme and fixing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system.

"We have prepared this manifesto after listening to the public. You tell the people of the country about this," the former Congress chief said.

"You helped us bring key ideas from the people of India into our manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. We rely on you and we love you. I send you my best wishes," he said.

The Congress released its 45-page manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, titled 'Nyay Patra', on April 5.

Tagging Gandhi's video message to workers on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "A day before the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, do watch this video message from Rahul Gandhi. The response coming from the grassroots level shows that Congress workers across the country are very excited about this election." "The Modi government's departure is certain, now we just wait for June 4," he said.

The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections, which will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, will be taken up on June 4. PTI ASK DIV DIV

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