Polls 2012: Lucknow needs Congress govt, says Rahul Gandhi

Alleging that successive non-Congress governments in Uttar Pradesh had swindled Central funds, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the state needed a Congress dispensation to enable money meant for welfare of the people reach them.

Addressing a string of election rallies, he came down heavily on non-Congress parties saying these had done nothing for development of the state.

The Congress governments had brought a positive change in their party-ruled states like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Assam, he said.

But, in the past 22 years, successive non-Congress governments had failed to develop Uttar Pradesh, Rahul said.

"They (SP, BSP, BJP) have done nothing except looting government funds," the Congress general secretary said.

"The Congress has given Bundelkhand package, weavers’ package, RTI, RTE and schemes like MNREGA and now the food security programme.

"Tell me what these parties have given you," he asked.

"People cast votes, leaders become Chief Ministers and forget the public and this chain is being repeated since the past 22 years," the Gandhi scion said.

"The Centre has been sending maximum funds to UP. But, all this money goes waste because the state government is not putting it to good use," he said.

"In the Samajwadi Party regime, the foodgrain scam took place and during the BSP rule, it is the NRHM scandal," the Congress leader said.

Targeting the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party, Rahul Gandhi said "the elephant (BSP's poll symbol) eats it (funds) all and his appetite is growing by the day."

"Lucknow needs a Congress government so that the money we send for you, reaches you in time," he said adding "it makes me angry when I see UP going backward instead of forward."

"Other states have developed because people from UP are working there. Do you not want your own state to develop in a similar manner?

"Time has now come for a change. You have given 22 years to these parties -- give us five now and I promise you we will change the face of UP," the Congress general secretary said.

Mulayam Singh had been the Chief Minister thrice but each time, his cycle got punctured, he said.

"The police stations were ruled by goondas during his regime and that was all you got," Rahul said.

Uttar Pradesh had not seen progress because its leaders did not see dreams, Rahul said.

"I dream that people do not die of hunger, do not have to leave their homes for jobs. Why don’t these leaders also dream?" he said.

In the past 22 years, Uttar Pradesh had got no new industries, no power plants and yet these leaders promise electricity during election time.

Exhorting the people to vote the Congress to power in the state, he promised in the next 10 years, the picture of Uttar Pradesh would be totally different.