Priyanka promises mom a perfect 10

Joint rally creates stir, duo says BJP-SP-BSP ruined state in 20 yrs. HT reports. Pics | Naxal belt goes to polls

“One should not speak much when elders are around.” Priyanka Gandhi matched her jocular opening statement in Rae Bareli by pinching her mother Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s cheek.

Addressing a public rally on Valentine’s Day, Priyanka followed up her affectionate gesture with a promise of a gift.

“I promise Ma that we will get her all the 10 seats of Rae Bareli and Amethi.”

The first joint appearance of the mother and daughter on Tuesday created quite a stir.

Congress chief Sonia and Priyanka had reached the GIC grounds in a red-white helicopter, the brightness of their blue and red sarees outdone by their smiles.

If Sonia matched Priyanka’s informal tone at the beginning — "This (the polls) is the new occasion to be with you" — she soon got down to brass tacks, training her guns on the Mayawati government over lack of development and corruption.

“We gave over R1 lakh crore to the state under the Central schemes,” she said. “Where did the money go? The trio of BJP-SP-BSP got together to ruin the state in two decades. They have cheated the people.”

Criticising the state government, Sonia said, farmers, youth, women and children were all distressed, the poor had no health facility and law and order in the state was non-existent.

"The Congress has a history of service to the people,”

she said and warned the electorate not to fall prey to false promises.