Uttar Pradesh CM wonders why welfare issues don’t anger the Congress scion.
It’s now a face-off between Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
Two days before Gandhi flags off the Congress campaign in UP for the 2012 assembly polls, Mayawati has hit out at the Congress scion. In response to Gandhi’s recent remark that the prevailing state of affairs in the state angered him, Mayawati retorted by saying that “welfare issues do not get the attention of the Congress yuvraj and he does not get angry over them.” She even advised him not to indulge in “vote-bank politics” and instead, as an MP from the state, to work towards releasing central funds for the state.
Angered by Maya’s remarks, the Congress in Delhi accused her of misusing funds granted by the Centre. Party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said, “There is no need to advise Rahul Gandhi. Despite receiving maximum funds from the Centre, she (Mayawati) is always hungry for funds. It is one state where maximum funds have been misused.” Alvi added, “She has misused funds in constructing parks and erecting statutes, including those of her own, something unheard of in our country.”
Congress MP Raj Babbar also joined him in attacking the UP chief minister. He highlighted the campaign posters where Rahul has been projected as someone who will give a befitting reply to the excesses and the injustices of Mayawati’s ‘jungle raaj.’ Babbar cited incidents like those in Mirzapur, Chandoli and Bhatta Parsaul and the anger of the victims against Maya’s rule.
Taking potshots at Congress for saying there was ‘jungle raj’ in UP, Mayawati reminded the party of its own government in Haryana where the Dalits were “uprooted”, saying that this didn’t anger Rahul. Mayawati also advised the latter to do something about the issues of growing inflation and rising petrol prices, which were giving immense hardship to people in UP.
Rahul Gandhi will be flagging off the Congress’ UP campaign with a massive rally in Phulpur in Allahabad district on November 14, birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Phulpur was represented by Nehru in the Lok Sabha.
Expectedly, the party’s campaign is projecting Rahul as the state’s saviour, their slogan being “Utho, Jaago, Badlo.” Congress is aggressively projecting itself as an alternative to the 22 years of misrule by other political parties, focusing on incumbent BSP in particular.
