Sonia, Priyanka share dais; lash out at Mayawati

Sharing the dais for the first time in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi today lambasted the Mayawati regime for lack of development alleging large scale corruption in implementation of central schemes worth Rs one lakh crore. The Congress President and her daughter held all the non-Congress parties like BSP, SP and BJP, that ruled Uttar Pradesh over the last two decades, responsible for its current “sorry state of affairs” saying that the state was not like this when Congress was in power. Asserting that the Centre never differentiated among states when it came to providing them funds for development, Sonia listed schemes like MNREGA, PMGSY, NRHM SSA and several other plans under which over Rs one lakh crore were given to the BSP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. [caption id=“attachment_213062” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“PTI”]  [/caption] Alleging corruption in the funds allocated to UP, she asked “after all where is that money. Where was it spent. Its clear that scams and corruption have taken place”. The Congress President was also critical of the state government for “obstructing” the implementation of Centre’s schemes and efforts to develop the state particularly Raebareli and Amethi represented by her and Rahul Gandhi. She said that the Centre made a number of plans for the development of the state but they were “obstructed”. Citing BSP’s earlier opposition to the Centre’s plan to set up a rail coach factory at Raebareli, the Congress President wondered “do people of Raebareli and Amethi do not have a right to get employment?” Asking people not to be “misled” by the campaign of those political parties doing politics in the name of caste and religion, Sonia urged them to vote for Congress. “It is a matter of regret that all ideals and principles are at risk in UP where a phase of petty interest, corruption and politics of opportunism has been launched in the name of caste and religion”, she added. “All the parties be it BJP, SP or the BSP have joined hands for power time and again and have together ruined the state and with them around there can be no hope of development of the entire state including Rae Bareli”, Sonia said. Priyanka adopted an interactive style to reach out to people at the rally soliciting a promise to “change” the government in Uttar Pradesh. PTI