Cong showers projects on Amethi, Rae Bareli

After the Congress’ dismal performance in the Gandhi bastion in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections last year, central projects appear to be raining on Rae Bareli and Amethi. The latest is the government clearance for setting up an aviation and a women’s university, at a cost of Rs 702 crore, in the next five to six years at Sonia Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency Rae Bareli.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, cleared proposals for establishing the two universities. While the aviation university will be named after Rajiv Gandhi, the women’s university, the first such facility in the country, will be christened after Indira Gandhi.

The Congress had fared badly in the Rae Bareli and Rahul Gandhi’s Amethi constituencies, losing eight of the 10 seats in the March 2012 elections. After the elections, several big ticket projects were announced, including several initiatives in the rail budget this year.

A Rs 1,000-crore rail wheel manufacturing unit, Rs 600 crore for converting the Rae Bareli-Lucknow road to a four-lane stretch, an FM radio station and a Rs 19-crore mint spices park were announced for Rae Bareli after the electoral loss in the Gandhi strongholds.