Himachal polls: Gadkari flays Nehru-Gandhi family over poverty, corruption

Nirmand: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday attacked the Nehru-Gandhi family over its alleged failure to eradicate poverty and corruption during its rule, and said all it has alleviated is the poverty of the party leaders and their families.

Addressing a poll rally here, Gadkari said Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was repeating the slogan that 'poverty will be eliminated' given by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and continued by ex-prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"Yes, they have succeeded in eradicating poverty but the poverty of Congress aides, families and leaders only, and not that of general people," the Minister for Road Transport, Shipping and Water Resources told the rally at the Nirmand Chowk in Kullu district under the Anni Assembly constituency.

Gadkari was canvassing for BJP candidate Kishori Lal. The state assembly election is scheduled to be held on November 9.

He also accused Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of being involved in corruption.

The election is not between the BJP and the Congress but for the future of the people who have suffered due to "corruption" of the Congress government, he said.

Congress leaders have focused on the development of their families instead of the people of the state or the country, he alleged.

"The BJP wants to create employment opportunities in Himachal Pradesh through tourism which has immense potential," he said. "We will invest heavily to upgrade the infrastructure to promote tourism."

Had the state provided better roads, connectivity and infrastructure, tourists from all over the world would have flooded Himachal, he added.

He appealed to the people to give a chance to the BJP and said the "old" leaders of the Congress party in the state should now retire and spend time with their children and families in their "luxurious houses".

"Don't burden the old, visionless and corrupt government of the state and vote for the BJP when the election takes place on November 9," Gadkari said.

"The developmental works that have not been done in 50 years, the BJP government will do in just five years," he promised.