Mulayam denies Rahul's claim on development issue

Rae Bareli, UP, May 2 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today rubbished the allegations levelled by Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi that his government was apathetic towards development in the high-profile constituency.

''UP government has spent Rs 1,026 crore on the development of Rae Bareli in the last 2 yrs,'' Mr Yadav said addressing an election meeting in support of party nominee Raj Kumar Chaudhary for the May 8 Rae Bareli bypoll.

The SP chief also sought to know why Rae Bareli had remained backward and devoid of even basic eminities, although it had always been a pocketborough of the Congress.

''Our SP-led government has provided 24 hr power supply to Rae Bareli town,'' he claimed.

Mr Yadav also blamed Congress president Sonia Gandhi for imposing bypoll on the people of Rae Bareli.

Training guns on the central government for the prevailing power crisis in UP, he claimed the units of NTPC, owned by the Centre, were not working properly and as a result the state was not getting enough electricity.

Listing the achievement of his regime, Mr Yadav asserted that his government never made discrimination while providing succour to the people of the state.

He also blamed the Centre for rising unemployment, saying the UPA government had refused to provide unemployment allowance as suggested by him.

''Following the wrong central policies, 4,000 farmers have committed suicide in the country, including 1,200 suicides since the Congress took over,'' he alleged.

However, the former defence minister maintained that not a single farmer committed suicide in UP, since ''my government has protected the interests of the farming community.'' Mr Yadav further underlined that cinestar Jaya Bachchan had to lose her Rajya Sabha membership, while party MP Amar Singh was issued a notice by the Election Commission following the office of profit controversy.

''Congress and BJP have joined hands under a tacit understanding to target SP.'' The CM alleged that MNCs were causing harm to the Indian economy and the country had become isolated in the international arena because of flawed policies.

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