Days after the BSP extended support to the UPA against opposition-sponsored cut motions in Parliament,AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi clarified that there is no pact between the Congress and the BSP. In fact,he said,there would be no pact with the BSP in future either. He also attacked the Mayawati government for not doing anything for the Dalits in the state. Rahul was addressing a gathering of people at Ahararura in Mirzapur district on Tuesday. Apart from its old association with Naxalism,Aharaura is also known as a major supplier of stone for the construction of memorials and parks in Lucknow. However,Rahul avoided making any reference to both during his half-an-hour-long speech. A few days ago,there was voting in Parliament. Newspapers reported that there is a pact between the BSP and the Congress. I want to make it clear that there is no pact, Rahul said. He added the Congress would defeat the BSP in the coming elections. I am with you. I am ready to come wherever you call me. I am ready to fight your battle, Rahul promised the gathering. He tried to give an impression that his partys 2012 mission was not only about winning the UP Assembly polls. The question is not only about defeating the BSP. I know you would defeat the BSP. But the bigger question is development of UP, Rahul said,adding that a change of government will only be the first step. He said Mayawati claimed hers was a government of the Dalits. Ask any Dalit and he would say there is no government, he added. He said the UPA government was pro-poor and talked about the implementation of MNREGA in the state. We say this scheme is meant for the poor,including STs and SCs. UP government says there is no benefit from this scheme, he said. About the power situation,he said,Power is available for only five to six hours. A section of people responded: No,only for two to three hours. He said Punjab is a much smaller state but generates more power than UP. Rahul had done his homework well. He recalled that Sonbhadra district had a copper industry in the past. He also spoke of the poor condition of weavers in Mirzapur. Then he underlined the need for the formation of Congress government in the state. You have witnessed the politics of caste and religion. You voted the BJP,SP,BSP to power, he told the gathering. He spoke about the migration of youths to other parts of the country,including Maharashtra,Haryana,Delhi and Punjab in search of jobs,even when the state had tremendous potential. Rahul also referred to the attack on UP youths in Maharashtra.
