Cong-SP war of words reaches fever pitch

Lucknow, Sep 21 (UNI) In the run-up to the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the war of words between the ruling Samajwadi Party and the Congress today reached a flashpoint with the latter issuing a questionnaire to the former.

Hours after AICC president Sonia Gandhi assailed the state government for failing to carry forward the development of UP at a Nav Nirman rally in Bareilly yesterday, the state government issued a detailed statement criticising the Centre for not helping it in developmental work.

The statement listed out the achievements made by the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in the last three years ''without central assistance''.

Reacting to the official statement, the UPCC today issued a questionnaire to the UP government seeking various details.

In one of the questions, the UPCC asked the state government whether it used to seek an overdraft from the RBI to provide salaries to government employees. It claims the practice ended after the UPA assumed power at the Centre two years ago.

The Congress also asked why the CM was holding 37 portfolios out of a total of 60.

''Would the CM explain why his government has provided free gunners to known criminals in the name of security,'' the party asked.

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