Development main issue in UP polls: Smriti

Lucknow, Apr 18 (UNI) Lack of development in Uttar Pradesh under non-BJP governments would remain a major issue in the ongoing Assembly polls in the state, television star and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Smriti Irani said here today.

''People of Uttar Pardesh have come to realise the importance of development and they would always prefer the BJP in the Assembly polls,'' she told a news conference here.

Ms Irani, better known as 'Tulsi' after her exploits on television serial 'Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', was of the opinion that the development agenda set by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre has now assumed a prominent position among the prevailing poll issues.

Refusing to field questions about television and films and asserting that she had come to campaign for BJP as a party leader, she said the BJP was surging ahead as compared to other parties in the state.

In reply to a question, Ms Irani said law and order, casteism and corruption prevailed in UP and people were looking up to have an effective, clean, transparent and honest government under senior BJP leader Kalyan Singh.

She claimed that the ruling Samajwadi Party has failed on all counts to fulfill the aspirations of the common man. ''The voter has now realised that the BJP is their best bet,'' she added.

UNI