Shah continues to attack SP, Congress at BJP workers' meet

Says, Modi has taken several steps to alleviate poverty

Continuing his tirade against the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said only the saffron party can dislodge the Samajwadi Party regime in the state.

"SP and BSP have taken turns to rule Uttar Pradesh which has only brought poverty and backwardness," he said at a convention of the party's booth-level workers at Tilakdhari degree college here.

Mounting attack on the SP government, Shah said Akhilesh had promised to give unemployment allowance to the youth before the 2012 Assembly elections in the state. "He (Akhilesh) will have to answer where that allowance is. He has betrayed the youth by misleading them," he added.

The BJP chief said the time has come to dislodge the SP government in Uttar Pradesh and give the mandate to his party so that the state gets the benefits of the central schemes.

He alleged that farmers of the state could not get the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana due to laxity on part of the Akhilesh government.

"A new scheme has been launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the Akhilesh government failed to invite tenders on time. As a result, farmers (of Uttar Pradesh) will not get the benefits," he said.

Taking a dig at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for his barb on two years of the NDA rule, Shah said, "I want to ask Rahul 'baba', what did he do during the 10 years of the UPA regime. At least, we gave a Prime Minister who speaks. The people of the country had not heard the voice of the previous Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) for 10 years."

"We gave a Prime Minister who understands the problems of the people, listens to them and resolves their issues," he said, adding that Modi has taken several steps to alleviate poverty.