Live reporting: Sonia, Rahul reject opinion polls, say Modi balloon will explode, release manifesto

1:16 pm: Antony: Our manifesto is a novel, new manifesto. I hope Congress and UPA will return to power.

1:12 pm: A K Antony, chairman of manifesto committee speaks.  The manifesto has been prepared after an exercise spanning 5 months and meeting more than 10,000 people.

On the dais are Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Janardan Dwivedi and media in-charge Ajay Maken.

1:05 pm: A video presentation shows snippets of Rahul Gandhi meeting coolies, rickshaw pullers, fishermen, women and other sections of society in order to incorporate their articulations in the manifesto.

1 pm: Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi opens the proceedings describing Congress as the flowing river Ganges.