Rahul takes on Modi Govt. for attempting to weaken UPA's flagship schemes

Launching a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre for allegedly trying to weaken and do away with the flagship schemes of the UPA regime, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday urged the electorate of Maharashtra to vote for his party in the upcoming assembly polls.

"Land Acquisition Act is being done away with, MGNREGA, Food Security Bill are being done away with, you are going to suffer," Gandhi said at an election rally here.

Listing out the priorities of Congress if it forms the government in Maharashtra, Gandhi said: "In the coming days we will give 24 hours free electricity. We will give free medicines and create space for you in the hospitals and give everyone a roof to stay in Maharashtra."

The Congress vice-president also used the platform to reach out to the young voters of Maharashtra, saying his party would provide jobs to thirty lakh people in the coming days.

"People talk about Gujarat, but I must say that Maharashtra is ahead in comparison to all the states. You are ahead in per capita, growth rate...... How did you do this? It was because of love and brotherliness. This is your ideology, this is how you built the state and it did not happen in a day," he added.

Recalling Prime Minister Modi's recent visit to the United States, Gandhi alleged that the prices of 108 essential medicines including those of cancer, rabies, diabetes have gone up.

Gandhi said the latest increase in the prices of medicines has hurt the common man and benefited the United States.

"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to the U.S., the industrialists asked him to open up the price restriction. Now, the prices of medicines for diseases like cancer, diabetes and blood pressure have increased," he added.

The Congress vice-president also criticized Prime Minister Modi in wake of the escalation in cross-border attacks.

"During the campaigning for Lok Sabha polls, Modiji had said that Pakistan and China will be scared if he becomes the Prime Minister. Just see what is happening now," he said.

"Our Prime Minister was enjoying the swing ride with the Chinese President, but he did not raise the issue (of incursions) with him. The incursions were on during the Chinese President's visit," he added.

The election for 288-member Maharashtra Assembly is scheduled to take place on October 15 while the counting of votes will be held on October 19.