Rahul steps up offensive against Mulayam

Sonia refrained from predicting whether Rae Bareli poll outcome would be a catalyst for such a change.

A day before campaigning ends in Rae Bareli, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday stepped up his offensive against the Mulayam Singh Yadav government suggesting it is time it should go.

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Rahul, who has been campaigning for the re-election of his mother, Sonia Gandhi, from this Lok Sabha constituency, refrained from predicting whether Rae Bareli poll outcome would be a catalyst for such a change.

"If the Government is not doing any work, it is time for change," he told reporters when asked about his charge of non- performance of the UP government and if he felt it should go.

However, to a question whether the outcome of the May 8 bypolls would be a catalyst to the change, he parried a direct reply saying "I am not a soothsayer".

Asked how he foresaw polling on May 8, he said it would depend on three factors-distance of polling booths from villages, heat and marriage season.

On whether caste would play a big factor in the post-Mandal era, Rahul Gandhi said "it is a factor but not an important one."