Chief minister Mayawati today targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his statement that he respects BSP founder Kanshi Ram and claimed his party had not "expressed a single word of condolence on Kanshi Ram's death.
 Addressing election rallies here, Mayawati said Congress and its leaders did not speak two words of condolence on the death of Kanshi Ram, what to say about declaring a national mourning. Referring to Rahul's remarks yesterday that he respects Kanshi Ram who took forward the politics in UP, Mayawati said for BSP "these words of sympathies are like thorns".

"It appears as if Congress and its yuvraj are showing disrespect to manyavar Kanshi Ram ... and BSP would never pardon Congress and its yuvraj for it", she said.

Charging the UPA with giving a step-motherly treatment to UP, she repeated her charge that it did not provide financial aid to the state but her government, through its own resources, carried out the important works connected with the basic requirements of the people on a priority basis.

 She claimed her party had given top priority to villages, farmers and the poor and alleged Congress had been creating hurdles in the development works of BSP govenrment.

 The chief minister claimed while all political parties forget about the promises made at election time, BSP fulfills its promises and works for the welfare of "sarv samaj".