By IANS
Ballia/Ambedkarnagar/Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh) : Congress star campaigner Rahul Gandhi Thursday kicked off campaigning for the seventh and final phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls with another impressive road show drawing charmed crowds.
Starting his campaign in Ballia in the state’s eastern corner, Rahul undertook a whirlwind tour of several adjoining areas including parts of Azamgarh and Ambedkar district that go to polls on May 8.
Rahul’s motorcade was mobbed right from the helipad and crowds scrambled to get a glimpse of the charismatic scion of the Gandhi family. A smiling Rahul often went out of his way to stretch out from his SUV to shake hands with some of them.
Enthusiastic crowds showered flowers and rose petals on the young leader, who targeted the youth in the gatherings everywhere he went.
Addressing a series of roadside meetings at different places, Rahul at one point lamented the pathetic state of Uttar Pradesh for which he squarely blamed successive non-Congress governments that governed the state since the Congress was overthrown after ruling the state for four decades.
“Congress was not to be seen anywhere in the poll arena of Uttar Pradesh over the past so many elections, but this young man has surely reactivated the party ranks at least and this will go a long way to put the derailed party back on the rails in the long run,” remarked Satyendra, a post-graduate student.
“I am sure had he started a few months earlier, it would have paid Congress rich dividends,” felt a local Congressman.
Earlier, while speaking at a public meeting in Mubarakpur, Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the state government for the backwardness of Uttar Pradesh. He also came down heavily on the state government for “either turning many industries sick or forcing their closure”.
In Azamgarh, the home district of ruling Samajwad Party’s most prominent face Amar Singh, Rahul sought to draw the attention of the crowds to the “closure of the local sugar mill”.
Without taking names, he said in an obvious reference to the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, “They claim to have done great things for the industrial sector and here in Azamgarh, the sugar mills have closed down. Now how can you think of providing employment to the youth when industries are getting shut down?”
He once again called on the youth to come ahead and lead from the front for the overall development of the state.
“Compare Uttar Pradesh with the rest of the country, you will find a stark difference, while other states are cruising ahead, Uttar Pradesh is moving backwards. This is really sad. The youth of the state are migrating from the state in search of bread and butter. They are contributing to the development of other states like Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra, but are unable to do the same for their own state,” he remarked in his usual rhetoric against the ruling Samajwadi Party.
“I promise you that I will work with you for the development of the state. It was not a question of just one election; it is about the development of Uttar Pradesh. We will work together and revive the glory of the state,” he said reassuringly.