Rahul Gandhi rues lack of development in Uttar Pradesh

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi criticised Uttar Pradesh government for the "lack of development" and said farmers and youth were unhappy as they were not getting benefits of central schemes.

Amethi (Uttar Pradesh): Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for the "lack of development" and said farmers and youth were unhappy as they were not getting benefits of central schemes. Continuing his road show and mass contact programme on the second day of his visit, Rahul criticised the functioning of the UP government and said the state lags behind in development.

"Farmers are unhappy...They do not get fertiliser and seeds, there is a problem of power supply...Unemployment has gone up and the youth are a worried lot," he said. "Development works have been implemented by the central government, which have benefited the people living in the lower strata of society and similar works will continue. But it is the responsibility of the people to monitor them," he said. Starting his day by meeting people including Congress workers in the Munshiganj guest house, Rahul paid floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and his father Rajiv Gandhi. He also took a tea-break with a garment shop owner in Amethi town. Acknowledging the reception accorded to him by the people, Rahul said he lives with his "smaller family" in Delhi but Amethi was his "larger family" and its development was his priority. Rahul was also weighed in "ladoos" by his supporters in the Gauriganj area. Referring to his recent elevation as the Congress Vice-President, Rahul said it is not as important as his constituency with which he has ties since childhood. The Congress leader stopped his cavalcade at various places to interact with school kids who had lined up on the roadside to greet him. Earlier in the morning, `shiksha mitras` (teachers on a part-time basis) demanding increase in their honorariums, held a protest outside the Munshiganj guest house after they were not allowed to meet Rahul Gandhi. The Congress leader, however, later met them and assured help. PTI