The Hindu : National : Sonia's charge not true, says Mulayam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 19, 2004

National

National

Sonia's charge not true, says Mulayam

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 18. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, today refuted the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's charge that his Government was discriminating against Rae Bareli and Amethi. "I don't think it is true at all. My Government has done nothing that can be construed as discriminatory," Mr. Yadav said.

Rae Bareli and Amethi are represented by Ms. Gandhi and her son, Rahul Gandhi. They have complained of a "step-motherly" treatment by the Samajwadi-led State Government and the issue came to the fore every time Ms. Gandhi or Mr. Rahul Gandhi visited the constituencies. The Gandhis believe that the State administration had been deliberately ignoring the constituencies and refusing to sanction any development project for the areas.

Inaugurating the Uttar Pradesh Pavilion at the International Trade Fair Authority here today, Mr. Yadav said it would have been better if Ms. Gandhi had brought the issue to him rather than take it to the media. He promised to look into the complaints and redress their grievances. "I am really surprised that she chose to talk to the media about it. She ought to have written to me and I would have looked into it. I also want the area to develop," he said.

`Very powerful lady'

He said Ms. Gandhi as chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance should not only be concerned about those two constituencies but the entire State. "She is a very powerful lady. One nod from her can ensure that all the projects held up by the Centre get the go-ahead. If she is really interested in the development of the State she should ensure that the Centre announces a special financial package." Both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are supporting the Governments led by each other from outside but they lose no opportunity criticising each other.

The SP believes that the Congress-led UPA Government is conspiring to pull down its Government a charge which the Congress.

Mr. Yadav, however, praised the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, as "an honest man and a world-renowned economist," but lamented the fact that he had been unable to sanction a package for Uttar Pradesh.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National