Congress party President Sonia Gandhi waves to supporters during an election campaign rally in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. The state goes to the polls from February 8. AP/Rajesh Kumar Singh
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that BJP, SP and BSP were trying to hoodwink people by pretending to attack each other for electoral gains in Uttar Pradesh though they had all shared power and ruled the state without any sincerity of purpose.
"Comparing today's UP
with what it used to be 22 years ago brings to one's notice lots of unwelcome changes," she told an election rally in Allahabad.
"Parties, which had ruled the state during this period, have done so without any sincerity of purpose and they are responsible for the general deterioration, lawlessness and corruption," Gandhi said.
"These parties are again trying to hoodwink people by pretending to attack each other in public," the Congress chief said.
"Their antics are aimed at electoral gains as the state is poll-bound. People should not be fooled by this and must remember that they have all shared power in the past," she said.
They must remember that BSP had a truck with Samajwadi Party, the Congress leader said.
"And nobody can forget the partnership between BSP and BJP with both parties agreeing to share power -- each heading the government for six months," she said.
At an election meeting in Unnao, Gandhi said her party is contesting the UP election for forming a government and not for striking a coalition with any party.
"The Congress is not contesting these elections to forge a coalition with any party but for forming its government," she said.
"The Congress will establish a relationship of trust with the people and will stand by them in good and bad times."