Rahul Gandhi promises change in Uttar Pradesh if elected

Balrampur, Nov. 24 (ANI): Hitting out at the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) for failing to deliver on their pledges, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday assured that the Congress Government will usher in winds of change in Uttar Pradesh.

"You trusted BSP, what did you get? Did you get anything? Did you get electricity, roads, development and employment? Before that you trusted SP. Did you get electricity, did you receive justice at the police station? So, the people of UP (Uttar Pradesh) in a way have woken up to their senses," Gandhi told a mammoth political rally here.

"You people think that all governments will come and go, but nothing will change, but I assure you that it will happen. I want to assure you that it will happen, we will do it. Congress Party will bring a change," he added.

Rahul Gandhi also slammed chief minister Mayawati over her comments on the failure of the Central Government's flagship rural employment programme.

"During a speech in Lucknow, Mayawatiji said that MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) will not benefit anyone and that it is not required. We send thousands of crores of rupees here, but they do not reach the common man and it goes into the coffers of ministers, BSP activists and bureaucrats. Our poor people are stuck in the same place," said Gandhi.

"If Mayawati had visited the villages, if she would have visited you people and had interacted with women and poor people and had asked them whether MNREGA is beneficial to them, then she would have got a befitting reply from every village in UP," he added.

Rahul Gandhi further advised the regional leaders to visit the common people to understand their plight.

"If your leaders will not visit you and will not eat food with you or if they do not drink water from the same well from where you drink water and if they do not fall sick after drinking that water, till then they will not understand anything about poverty. And until they do not understand about poverty or until they do not listen to the poor or share their problems, this state will never change," he said.

Rahul Gandhi, who is leaving no stone unturned in giving a tough fight to the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the forthcoming state assembly elections, began his five-day long "Jan Sampark Abhiyan" programme from Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday, to garner support for the Congress.

The Uttar Pradesh elections, which are scheduled in the early part of 2012, is being seen as a stepping-stone for the Congress Party to establish a firm political base in India's fifth largest and most populous state before the 2014 general elections. (ANI)