By IANS,
Agra : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday appealed to voters to bring his party to power to radically transform Uttar Pradesh.
He said the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party had made lots of promises in the past but delivered nothing. “We will not make promises but will work and show results,” he said at a rally at the Kothi Meena Bazar ground.
“They had talked of India shining in 2004. Was India shining or Agra shining?” Gandhi asked and the audience responded with a loud no.
Addressing the rally with Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh and Firozabad MP and cine star Raj Babbar, Gandhi said: “If you want to hear promises, go to Mayawati or Mulayam Singh Yadav.”
We gave employment through the NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), Rs.120 a day and 100 days of work, Gandhi said.
“We waived off Rs.60,000 crore worth of loans to help the ‘aam admi’,” he said, adding that in Bundelkhand the prime minister gave a package of Rs.8,000 crore for development.
Mulayam Singh Yadav had promised people in Bundelkhand that he would turn the backward region into Israel, Gandhi recalled.
In 22 years no power plants were set up while they promised free electricity. “People have got bills but no electricity,” he observed.
Congress governments have shown they perform as in Delhi. “Those with clear intentions don’t need to make promises,” he said.
Gandhi asked the gathering what had Agra got? “Nothing,” the crowd roared back. “Agra is the Taj of the state and see how it has been ignored and has not benefited at all.”
“Give us five years. With your support, we will work for a better future,” Gandhi promised.
This was among the biggest election rallies in the Taj city in the run-up to the sixth phase of state assembly polls Feb 28.