Congress not interested in development of poor: Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said Congress, being a 'family-centric' party, was interested in its own development only and not that of the poor.
"Congress is a family-centric party and this has been proved again this time in Assam with party tickets allotted to children of MPs, MLAs and senior party leaders," Gadkari told an election rally in the hill district of Karbi Anglong.
"In Congress, Sonia Gandhi is only interested in giving employment to her son while in Assam Tarun Gogoi is interested in the same for his son," the Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping said.
Citing his own example, Gadkari said he previously held the BJP president's post, which was once occupied by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, though he was the son of a farmer.

"My parents were not MPs, but I was the son of a farmer who became a small time party worker and went on to occupy the chair once occupied by the revered leader. Can anybody in the Congress dream of becomning the party president?" he posed.
Pranab Mukherjee is the President of the country and could have become the Prime Minister, but he could "never become the Congress president which is reserved for the Gandhi family," Gadkari observed.

"The Congress is not bothered about the poor, farmers, labourers, youths or women. They can only give the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' (remove poverty) but instead (they) 'garibon ke pet mein laath marte hain' (exploit the poor). They are only interested in coming to power and ensure their and their children's development," he said.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to change the face of Assam and has already initiated several projects involving crores of rupees for the development of the state, he said.
As the Shipping Minister, he said, "My ministry has already taken steps to develop the Brahmaputra as a waterways connecting Bangladesh with the trade route ensuring employment oppurtunities for the youths of Assam."
He also promised that the construction of the Manja-Lumding Road via Diphu would begin within three months of the party coming to power in Assam.
The Union Minister addressed meetings at Baithalangshu, Patharkandi and Silchar.