Sonia touches emotional chord in Amethi

AMETHI, Sept 30: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the main contestant from here, today touched the emotional chord of the locals, saying ...

AMETHI, Sept 30: Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the main contestant from here, today touched the emotional chord of the locals, saying she was accepted by them when she came to Amethi as the bahu8216; of Indira Gandhi and urged them to vote her party to power by a thumping majority to provide stability to the National polity.

8220;Aap ne tab bhi mujhe swikaar kiya jab main Indira ji ki bahu bankar yahan aayi, aur uske baad Rajiv ji ke saath,8221; she told a massive rally during her maiden appearance in her home constituency where her campaigning was so far being looked after by daughter Priyanka.

Accompanied by her daughter and son Rahul at Ramalila ground here, she said, 8220;I do not have to tell you about my family members and ancestors and the sacrifices they have made for this country. I will never deviate from the path of service and sacrifice shown by Rajiv ji, I assure you that.8221;

Accusing the Vajpayee Government of 8220;failing on all fronts8221;, she said, 8220;Their earlier 18-party alliance failed and now they have 24 parties pulling in different directions. How can they provide stability?8221;

8220;When our brave soldiers were making the supreme sacrifice in Kargil, the BJP-led Government was purchasing sugar from ISI-backed companies of Pakistan and wasting thousands of crores of rupees,8221; she said.

The BJP and its partners forgot all poll promises regarding the upliftment of the downtrodden sections of society and women in their 8220;ambition to remain in power by hook or crook8221;.

8220;Now these people rake up issues like Bofors to blame us. I declare that my family is completely innocent,8221; she asserted.

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Focussing on Uttar Pradesh, the Congress chief said that while the condition of the people throughout the country was very bad, it was worse in this State. 8220;Lagta hai is mahan Pradesh mein koi sarkar hi nahi hai it seems there is no Government in this large state,8221; she said.

8220;This situation has to be changed and these elections are an opportunity for you to change,8221; she said, adding it was Congress alone which could provide a stable Government as it was the only party which represented all sections of society, including Dalits, minorities and women.

8220;Neither me nor my party is clamouring for power and we will continue to work with that dedication,8221; she said.

Elaborating on her party manifesto, she said while reservation policy would continue, a National commission for the upliftment of weaker sections would be set up if her party came to power. Steps would be taken to provide literacy to the girl child, especially those from the weaker sections, and free education would be provided to them till graduation.

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While top priority would be given to the removal of poverty, special schemes for farmers would also be implemented and storage of seeds and fertilisers at low cost made and workers8217; rights protected. 8220;These will not remain on paper and our party will implement them when it comes to power,8221; Sonia said. Gandhi earlier addressed a meeting at Sultanpur in support of party candidate Deepak Kaul. She is expected to address two more rallies at Salon and Jagdishpur of Amethi constituency.