UPA holding back funds for Uttar Pradesh: SP

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has accused the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre of holding back Rs.30,000 crore meant as central funds for Uttar Pradesh.

Criticising the Congress for its "double talk" party spokesman Rajendra Chowdhary Monday said that despite a positive environment of development and cordial relationship created by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the Congress-led government had so far released only 20 percent of the central funds earmarked for Uttar Pradesh.

"Despite the best of efforts by the state government, the union government's attitude continues to be of non-cooperation," Chowdhary said.

He pointed out how the state government had promptly given free of cost land to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to be built at Rae Bareilly - the parliamentary constituency of UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The prison ministers and party spokesman said that there was no response to the special package sought by Akhilesh Yadav.

Chowdhary said the Congress is trying to sabotage the progress and development schemes initiated by the SP government and is trying to defame the government.

Political observers see this as a growing divide between the two parties. While the Congress government has been dependent of SP's 22 MP support, the SP has also bailed it out on crucial situations in the Parliament.

On many recent occasions, however, the state unit of Congress and its central leaders have attacked Akhilesh Yadav for failing to safeguard the security of minorities and have demanded his resignation.