India's small, medium businesses solution to Chinese manufacturing: Rahul Gandhi

Ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that India's small and medium businesses are the solution to combat the challenge of the Chinese manufacturing and massive unemployment prevailing in the country.

"From phones to clothes, all are made in China. Our small and medium businesses are the solution. We have massive unemployment everywhere, it is a challenge for India. If Tamil Nadu government works effectively, we can also get Made in Tamil Nadu and Made in India products," said Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Tirunelveli.

"If we have to take the challenge of Chinese manufacturing, the answer has to be the small and medium enterprise," he added.

Noting that employment is one of the major challenges for the country, the former Congress chief said, "We have millions of dynamic youngsters with unbelievable energy, with dreams and they are unemployed. You can go to any state in India, you will find massive unemployment. Jobs is the central challenge for our country."

"I am convinced that, if we get the government of Tamil Nadu to work effectively, behind this (displaying a phone) phone, we will find Made in Tamil Nadu and Made in India," he added.

Rahul Gandhi also visited St. John's Cathedral in Nazareth, Thoothukudi.

Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will be done on May 2, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Friday.

With this announcement, the model code of conduct comes into force. The assembly elections in the southern state are important for the national as well as the regional political parties.

Polls will be held for 234 seats in Tamil Nadu with the Congress-DMK and BJP-AIADMK alliance being the major groups contesting against each other.

( With inputs from ANI )