Nellore (AP) (PTI): Getting into an election mode, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said the UPA government had cushioned the impact on people from rising oil prices and asserted that the party accorded top priority to the welfare of farmers.

Justifying the recent oil price hike, Gandhi said the UPA dispensation had to face a huge challenge due to the unprecedented increase in global crude prices.

Gandhi said unlike the NDA, which passed the burden onto the people, the Congress-led UPA government was very particular on the issue and "has protected the people of the country substantially from the burden".

"Our government had to face a huge challenge as the oil price in the global market has increased rapidly. When the NDA was in power the price of crude oil was USD 35 per barrel and now it is around USD 147," the Congress chief said in her speech in English at a rally largely attended by women in this coastal Andhra town.

Seeking to reach out to the people in an election year, the Congress president took the Indo-US nuclear deal, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA),National Rural Health Mission (NHS) and the "unprecedented" loan waiver for farmers of the UPA government to the people of the country. Elections are due in Andhra Pradesh later this year.

The Congress president explained each and every project of the UPA government in detail to the people in her speech that lasted for 30 minutes.

"The Congress always accorded top priority to the interests of the farmers in the country. That is why the UPA government has implemented a massive loan waiver scheme for farmers in the country at a cost of RS 75,000 crore," Gandhi said after launching the 'Rajiv Aroygasri', a comprehensive health insurance scheme for the poor.

Justifies nuke deal

In a strong rebuttal of the Left parties criticism on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said there was no question of compromising on the country's security interest, nuclear programme and foreign policy.

Against the backdrop of allegations by the former allies against the government and the Congress leadership, she said they did not not need certificate of patriotism from anyone.

Strongly backing the prime minister, she said the country needs access to latest nuclear technology and fuel from other countries and asked how they could be faulted for trying to provide this to people.

".....Yet we are being accused of going against the interest of our country. Let me state before you, before the whole country categorically. There is no no question of compromising on our security interest, on our nuclear programme and our independent foreign policy," Gandhi said addressing a public meeting here.