Non-Congress parties looted UP, says Rahul

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the successive non-Congress governments in Uttar Pradesh of “looting” the common people over the past twenty two years.

“During the past seven years wherever I went, people in the villages of the state told me they had been looted by the state government,” Rahul said while addressing an election rally in Bareilly.

He said that the biggest problem in UP was that its leaders did not reach out to the people. “They think they know everything, whereas the truth, is that the common man has more knowledge than the leaders. Have you ever seen Mayawati or Mulayam Singh in your village? Do they ever talk to you?” he asked the people.

Rahul also raised local issues and said that Bareilly was known for its “Zari” work but the SP and BSP governments had not done anything to promote the industry over the years. “These leaders promise to do everything but do not do anything. You need a bridge in Sirauli but your demand is pending since the past 20 years,” he said.

Rahul lashed out at the Samajwadi Party for promising free electricity. “Mulayam Singh Yadav is claiming that he will turn Bundelkhand into Israel. He has been chief minister thrice, why did he not do this then,” he asked.

He said that the UPA government gave a package for the people in Bundelkhand region but the money did not reach them because the “magic” elephant in Lucknow swallowed it all.