BJP obsessed with my family, says Priyanka

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being obsessed with her family, saying that 50 per cent of the BJP leaders' speeches were devoted to blaming her family but they never talked about what they did in the last five years.

Addressing a rally in Khaga in Fatehpur Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress leader, who is also the in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, said: "They (BJP) are obsessed with our family. Fifty per cent of their election speeches are full of what (Jawaharlal) Nehruji did and what Indiraji (Gandhi) did. But they will not tell you what they have done in the last five years despite getting a huge mandate."

Attacking the saffron party, Gandhi said: "Those who are known for making rhetorics are today alleging that the promise of the Congress to provide Rs 72,000 to every poor family is a rhetoric.

"They (BJP) are saying the government doesn't have money. But the same government had money to waive off the loans of the industrialists. From where did that money come? It came from the pockets of the common people."

Targeting the BJP government over the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the Congress leader said: "This scheme is meant to help the private insurance companies. The intentions and the policies of this government are not good. So you people need to be aware now. If you become aware, no political leader will dare to utter a lie in front of you from this dais. The politics of lie needs to end."

She said when the youth raise their voice, those in power should feel happy that people have certain demands they should listen to.

"But the BJP government thinks that it's doing you a favour by working for you. They do not realise that it is the public that made them," she said.

Gandhi also appealed to the people to remove the politics of divisiveness and negativity, and usher in the politics which speaks about people's grievances.

"Change the politics, not only of your area or for your needs, but for the future generations and to save the country," she said.

After her meeting in Khaga, Gandhi arrived at Mahoba in Bundelkhand where she kicked off a 3 km-long roadshow from the Shaheed Chauraha after paying floral tribute at freedom fighter Paramnand's statue.

She was accompanied by Pritam Singh Lodhi, the Congress candidate from Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency. Hundreds of party workers braved the heat to get a glimpse of Gandhi. As her roadshow passed several corners of the town, the party supporters raised slogans against the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gandhi also helped a woman party worker on to her black SUV after she wanted to stand with the Congress President.

The roadshow concluded at Hathi Chowk area in the town. The Congress leader is also scheduled to address a rally in Hamirpur later in the day.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP's Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel had won from Hamirpur.

Of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, 26 have voted so far in the first three phases of polling, while the other 54 constituencies will go to the polls in the remaining four phases.

--IANS

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