Patel promises to make up

VADODARA, Aug 19: Former Union Energy Minister and Congress candidate for the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat Urmila Patel has held the Bharatiya...

VADODARA, Aug 19: Former Union Energy Minister and Congress candidate for the Vadodara Lok Sabha seat Urmila Patel has held the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government responsible for unavailability of additional gas for the Pipavav power project from the Tapti gas fields.

In her first press conference as Congress nominee for the seat, she said under-production of gas did not allow former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to keep his promise to supply additional quantities of the commodity. 8220;It is unfortunate that when there was surplus production, the BJP was in power8221;, she added.

8220;I will strive to solve the State8217;s pending problems, including getting gas for Pipavav8221;, she said. 8220;I will be to act as a channel for resolution of problems even at the municipal corporation levels.8221;

Describing Vadodara as a triveni sangam, Patel said the city was a confluence of education, industry and culture. 8220;But the State government has done little for M S University, which has scarce resources8221;, she alleged, adding that several developmental issues 8212; including housing and civic amenities 8212; too, needed to be addressed.

City BJP president Ashwin Shah said the party would go to the masses with problems of unemployment, pollution and protection of indigenous industries in the age of globalisation and liberalisation.

8220;The network will be set up so that five meetings are convened everyday in each ward8221;, he said.

Former MP Satyajit Gaekwad, who was also present at the Press conference, said youths, women, NSUI workers and everyone else would be involved in the Congress campaign.

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At the national level, Patel said, the Congress would focus on national security, stable governance, law and order and steps against terrorism. 8220;Only the Congress can provide a stable government8221;, she said, pointing out that 45 years of Congress rule had seen five prime ministers in contrast to the eight PMs thrown up in seven years of non-Congress rule.

While Patel expressed appreciation of the way Gaekwad had accepted her candidature yesterday8217;s Youth Congress protests were just an 8220;emotional outburst8221;, she said the former Youth Congress chief said winning the parliamentary polls was important as it could be the key to future victories in municipal corporations, district and taluka panchayats.

Shah claimed the party had had problems declaring the candidate for the Vadodara seat 8220;as the contenders were equally strong8221;.

Denying that erstwhile JDG MLAs had pressured the party leadership on her nomination, she said, 8220;They only supported my candidature8221;.