Starting from UP, Cong bringing big change in country: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said his party is bringing a big change in the country, starting from Uttar Pradesh, where it has given poll tickets to those who have suffered injustice at the hands of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He said the Congress believes in a partnership with people and does not indulge in a "drama" of service.

"We are bringing a big change in the country and have made a beginning from Uttar Pradesh," the former Congress chief said in a Facebook post in Hindi.

"We will fight against exploitation and win while becoming the voice of people in getting them justice.

"We do not do a drama of 'jan sewa' (public service), we forge partnerships. The politics of hatred is on its way out and the Congress is coming to power," he added.

Gandhi said the Congress has honoured its promise of fielding 50 women out of the 125 candidates it has named for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls so far.

"The special thing is that this list of candidates also includes those who have suffered injustice at the hands of the BJP," he said.

The Congress chief said the mother of the Unnao rape victim, a woman who raised her voice against the exploitation of Asha workers under the BJP's rule and a woman who struggled for years against atrocities on the Nishad community in the state and have been given poll tickets by the party.

He said the list of Congress candidates in Uttar Pradesh also includes the name of a woman who staged a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act through which the BJP wants to damage the country's unity, besides another woman who fought against the goons of the saffron party during the panchayat polls in the state.

Gandhi said there are many such women who have been fielded by the party in Uttar Pradesh as part of its politics of change.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7 and the counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.