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Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004

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UPA Government is here to stay: Lalu

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, NOV. 16. The United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre is here to stay, the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, said today.

Mr. Prasad was addressing election rallies in support of the Congress mayoral candidate, Sunil Sood, here. He joined the election campaign at the invitation of the Union Minister, Suresh Pachauri.

"We are now in power. The BJP can never regain power at the Centre. While we stand for unity and prosperity, it can only engineer riots and divide the people on communal lines," Mr. Prasad said.

The march of the secular forces was on. "The BJPis getting wiped out from vast areas of this country. After its defeat in Maharashtra, it is about to face defeat in the coming elections in Bihar and Haryana."

Taking a dig at former Chief Minister, Uma Bharti, he said she had no option but to go on `sanyas.' The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, had renounced Prime Minister's post when many political parties wanted her to accept it. One cannot find a similar example anywhere else in the world, he said.

One lakh jobs

Mr. Prasad announced that one lakh people would be recruited by Railways. Arrangements would be made to ensure that the candidates were not required to go outside their States for interview.

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