BJP, Cong did little to end poverty: Mayawati

BSP supremo Mayawati Tuesday said the BJP and Congress governments did little to address issues of poverty and unemployment.

"Poverty and unemployment increased ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre. The Congress, too, has not kept its promises," Mayawati said while addressing an election meeting in support of SP-BSP candidate Manoj Agarwal here.

The BSP supremo further said the GST and demonetisation were initiated by the BJP government without any preparation, leading to poverty and unemployment.

"It also had an adverse impact on the country's economy," she said, adding that the BJP government misused the CBI and the ED to its advantage.

Reminding people about corruption during the BJP and Congress regimes, Mayawati said the Bofors case took place during the Congress rule while the Rafale scam surfaced when the BJP was in power.

She asked if the poverty of farmers could be removed with just Rs 6,000 being provided by the union government annually under a scheme.

Attacking the Congress, she said it had been in power since Independence but did little to benefit people.

"The maximum migration in search of work and food took place during the Congress governments. The Congress did not even fulfil the promises it made in its manifestos," she said.

BSP general secretary Satish Chandra Misra and her nephew Akash Anand were also present at the meeting.