BSP leader accuses Congress over funds allocation

Sitapur, Jan 19 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Satish Chandra Mishra has slammed the ruling Congress party for accusing the state of siphoning government funds.

Speaking at a rally here, Mishra took pot shots at Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, and said that Gandhi was terrified of elephants.

"You say all the government funds are wasted. Can you tell us from where do you get the money? You get it from here and not from Italy or Japan. Then you roll up your sleeves and announce in rallies that all the federal fund money has been siphoned. You say a magic elephant in Uttar Pradesh eats all the money. It seems you are so terrified of the elephant that all through the day they get nightmares of it," said Mishra.

Gandhi had often attacked the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, saying that a magical elephant in Lucknow ate up all the money of poor and underprivileged.

The polls are being viewed as an opportunity for major parties to re-establish or strengthen their footholds in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh are to be conducted in seven phases between February 8 and March 3. The counting of votes would take place on March 6.

Uttar Pradesh will elect a new 403-member state assembly in March, and the poll results are expected to broadly indicate trends for 2014 general elections. (ANI)