Time to vote out the corrupt, Advani urges UP's voters

By IANS,

Agra : Terming corruption the chief issue in the Uttar Pradesh elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Friday said it was time for the people to vote out the corrupt parties.

Appealing to the people "to use their votes to shunt out the corrupt elements in power," he recalled votes had been used to punish the wrong-doers in the past, as in 1977 when Indira Gandhi's Congress was voted out for excesses during the 19 month-long Emergency.

"When our people get angry they vote out parties," he said, adding he sensed something similar was going to happen in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a public rally at the GIC ground here, Advani stressed that corruption was the chief issue.

Noting the "corruption-tainted" Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party governments had been tried out in the state and the Congress at the centre, he said: "If 2011 was the year of scams, let 2012 go down as the year of accountability."

Praising his party's record in power, Advani said: "I have seen all governments elected after 1952 and have absolutely no hesitation or doubt to say the the Vajpayee government was indeed the best."

"Price rise had been controlled despite American sanctions as a fallout of India going nuclear," he said, while attacking the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime.

"Dr Manmohan Singh calls himself an economist but the price rise is uncontrolled. This is due to corruption. Ministers have been removed and jailed due to corruption charges," he said.

Noting the high turnout in the five phases so far, Advani said that he was delighted at the enthusiasm of the voters. He said he favoured compulsory voting.

"In Punjab and Uttarakhand despite the cold weather, the voting percentage was very high. I expect Agra to score 70 to 80 percent voting."

Agra which goes to the polls on Feb 28, in the sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.