Congress ruled states growing faster unlike others: Rahul Gandhi

Faizabad/Deoria, Feb 2 (ANI): As politics heats up in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi has said states ruled by his party, including Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and Kerala, are growing faster unlike non-Congress ruled states.

"You can see that the other states are moving forward with speed. Look at Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi, Kerala, look anywhere where there is a government of the Congress party, the states are progressing with speed," Gandhi told a gathering here.

Gandhi further accused the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led state government and the opposition Samajwadi Party of making false promises ahead of assembly polls to woo voters.

Gandhi said: "On one hand, there is the elephant and on the other hand there is the cycle. They come before elections and promise to do lots of things. Mayawatiji has talked of changing Uttar Pradesh. Tell me what has she changed in the last five years? Did you see any change or progress? Please tell me."

"For the last 22 years, either the elephant comes or the cycle. The elephant talks of changing Uttar Pradesh, and then starts eating up the money," he added.

Earlier, Congress President Sonia Gandhi criticized the BSP and SP for looting the state.

"These political parties have fulfilled their dreams in the name of giving help to the Dalits, the poor, the other backward castes and the minorities. How long can this be endured? We want to reconstruct this great state. We want to bring back its lost glory. Their dream is power, our dream is progress and construction," Gandhi said.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh are being viewed as an opportunity for major parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted between February 8 and March 3, and the counting will take place on March 6.

The polls will elect a new 403-member state assembly in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)