After BSP, Rahul trains his guns on SP, BJP

Both BSP and BSP extend support to UPA at centre, but are rivals in state

A day after he accused Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati of not letting any other Dalit leader rise in her party, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Speaking at a rally in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said: “The aam aadmi is being made to fight for political gains. If Uttar Pradesh is going behind, it is because people are divided here. Hindus and Muslims are made to fight each other. One caste is made to fight another.”

Without taking names, he said: “Political parties were behind the riots in Muzaffarnagar.” The BSP, SP and BJP are in contention with the Congress for the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

While both the SP and BSP extend support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre, they are rivals in the state. While there is speculation about stitching alliances in the state in the run-up to the 2014 elections, Gandhi is known for wanting to go solo in the polls.

Referring to the communal polarization, which had led to the riots in Muzaffarnagar, for which BJP and the SP have been squarely blamed, Gandhi said: “Common people don't want to fight with each other. But there are political forces who feel if there is no fight, they will not win. That's why they want Hindus and Muslims to fight.”

Demarcating the Congress from “such parties”, he reminded his audience: “We provided employment to crores, and then we brought food security.”

On land Bill, he said: “When farmers were killed here, we promised that we would protect them. I promised that Congress will fight with you and surely win it. It took time, but the promise was fulfilled. We fought and made sure that the Bill was passed. We fought in Bhatta Parsaul, Aligarh and in Parliament - and we got the Bill passed.”

Urging people to stay united and resist the machinations of political parties, Gandhi said the Congress party would help them move forward.

He hit out at SP for the party’s “free laptops” scheme. “Did it get you jobs?” he asked the audience.

Addressing a second rally at Rampur, an SP bastion, Gandhi said: “There has been zero development in Uttar Pradesh - whether it was the SP or the BSP.”

Referring to the Muzaffarnagar riots, he said: “No politician dies in riots, the common man does. This is not the politics of the Congress. We want everyone to live in peace and talk development.”

He opined that the state government might not want to implement the food security programme as it fears it would benefit the Congress. “You will have to exert pressure and fight for your rights. Not a single person in the state should remain hungry as the UPA government has given you the right to food,” he told the audience.