Taking the campaign for Uttar Pradesh polls to a Samajwadi Party (SP) stronghold, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said his party could change the fortunes of the state in 10 years by fast-tracking development. |
Slamming the SP as well as the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), he said at a rally in Badaun district, "In the past 20 years, what did you get? You trusted SP. What did you get back in return? You trusted BSP. What did you get? (You got) corruption."
"UP can change. This is not difficult. Take it from me in writing. In five years, we can start changing this state and in 10 years, people from outside will come here looking for jobs. People will then ask, what is happening in UP... we can change things easily," he added.
Gandhi, who began a five-day tour of the western districts of UP, said at Babraula in Bhimnagar district, "There is no dearth of funds... but it is misused by the (chief minister) Mayawati government, where ministers are looting money.
If the SP and BSP return to power, funds will continue to be misused."
{{/usCountry}}If the SP and BSP return to power, funds will continue to be misused."
{{/usCountry}}Gandhi said he would not even name the Bharatiya Janata Party because the party was on ventilator in UP.
Attacking the opposition for ridiculing his visits to villages and stay in Dalits' houses, he said, "I move in villages to be aware of the harsh reality, the taste of the unhygienic food they consume and most importantly the problems they face. And I am sure all these things are not visible from the helicopters. So instead of attacking me they should start moving in the villages to know the living conditions here."
Gandhi also visited Gunnaur in Bhimnagar district. In Badaun he went to Sahaswan, Bilsi and Bisauli.
Earlier, SP activists carrying black flags attempted to block Gandhi's cavalcade when he was going to Badaun after landing at Dhanipur airstrip in Aligarh. Police detained about 15 SP activists after they tried to breach Gandhi's security cordon. Later, the SP said the activists had acted of their own accord and expelled its Aligarh general secretary Dinesh Yadav for violating party directives and discipline.