Sonia blames Mayawati govt for UP’s plight

She alleged that the BSP in order to retain power was not even hesitant to have a tie-up with the communal elements.

“Congress will not allow the poison of communalism to spread in the country. The country wants development and a strong government,which only the Congress can give under the leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh,” Gandhi said.

Reacting to Chief Minister Mayawati’s charge that the UPA government had rejected the development package sought by her,she said,”The Congress does not discriminate when it comes to development and the Centre has never allowed shortage of funds to any state.

“But the UP government has not implemented the central schemes in a right manner,as a result of which the state is lagging behind,” Gandhi said.

If voted to power,she promised Congress will give 25 kg of rice and wheat each month at Rs 3 per kg to people living below poverty line.

Addressing another poll rally at Rampur in support of party candidate Beghum Noor Bano,Sonia Gandhi said if voted to power,the Congress will speed up efforts to develop Madrasas all over the country and implement the Sachar Committee’s recommendations.

“We shall take up enthusiastically speedy development of Madrasas all over the country besides implementation of Sachar Committee’s recommendations in letter and spirit”,she said.

She also assured that the Congress will seriously consider reviving the stalled Jauhar University for Arabic Urdu and Persian studies.

Warning people against the divisive forces she said when they take over the reigns of power it is the masses who suffer immensely.

Asking them to keep their Rampuri tehzeeb (culture) unaffected by narrow considerations of religion and caste,she said,”The Congress party has devoted itself to the task of getting the country out of the clutches of such forces.”

Daring the opposition parties to draw a comparison between the previous NDA rule and the Manmohan Singh Government,she said if they did that honestly and sincerely,they will find Congress in a much better position.

On the allegations about money and muscle power being used by her political adversaries in Rampur which goes to polls on May 13,she said,it is a blot on the face of democracy which should be opposed from all quarters.