Vajpayee slams SP govt for not funding important projects

Lucknow, Oct 27 (UNI) Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today slammed the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in the state for not financing projects of public importance.

Addressing a public meeting at Aliganj this evening, in favour of BJP's mayoral candidate for Lucknow Dr Dinesh Sharma, the Lucknow MP lamented that while the state government had funds to announce schemes of lesser importance, it had no funds to cleanse river Gomti, which now resembled a 'nullah'.

Though Mr Vajpayee did not name the schemes, he was referring to the recent announcement by the Chief Minister to distribute sarees to women living below poverty line (BPL).

The former PM also criticised Railways minister Lalu Prasad for ignoring the development of Gomti Nagar railway station. ''I had inaugurated the railway station. Trains do not stop there much to the chargin of the locals,'' he lamented.

He said if Dr Sharma was elected as mayor, the Lucknow municipal corporation would complete the flyover on Faizabad road to ease traffic congestion.

''The circular rail project is yet to begin. The train is neither moving ahead nor going back its stuck in red tape,'' he said.

In a lighter vein, the veteran BJP leader said Lucknow had several senior citizens like him who were increasingly finding it difficult to stay in small houses with sons and daughters-in-law.

''We had set up an ashram for such people. At present only 15 people reside there. The need of the hour is to provide space for more such people,'' he added.

He said a BJP led municipal corporation would also work towards constructing subways for the benefit of pedestrians.

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