Rahul is UP's future, declares Manmohan Singh

Poranpur (Pilibhit), Apr 15: In a statement that could have some serious political undertones, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today described Congress MP Rahul Gandhi as ' the future of Uttar Pradesh'.

''Rahul Gandhi is sweating it out in UP and he has a definite vision for this state,'' Dr Singh said while addressing an election meeting here this afternoon.

Expressing utmost faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the suave PM expressed the hope that the young MP from Amethi would do to UP what his illustrious father late Rajiv Gandhi did to the country twenty years back as the Prime Minister of India.

The remark of the Prime Minister is sure to lighten up sagging sentiments of the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh which is finding it hard to fight for its survival in the biggest state of the country.

Rahul Gandhi, a much-in-demand star campaigner for the Congres party during the ongoing UP assembly polls, has been holding road shows in various constituencies of the state. In fact, most of his road shows have attracted large crowds though the public support turns into votes remains to be seen.

The Prime Minister made this remark in the presence of Salman Khurshid, the prsident of UP Congress Committee (UPCC) which, in the past, has been making formal and informal demand with the party high command to give Rahul some 'big' role in UP politics.

The party leadership has never been committal over Rahul's role in UP Congress but today's remark coming from none other than the Prime Minister himself has certain meaning attached to it.

UNI