Rahul vows to utilise youth strength in UP devp

Gonda, Apr 20: Vowing to utilise youth power in the state'sdevelopment process, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today said his party hadgiven adequate representation to youths in ticket distribution for theUttar Pradesh assembly polls.

''I regret their energies have not been utilised properly in thedevelopment of the state. The Congress does not make hollow promises.It is concerned about increasing the representation of youths in thestate's development. Therefore, it has given tickets to a large numberof youth candidates,'' Mr Gandhi told an election gathering here.

''It is unfortunate that successive governments in UP in the last15 years have tied the hands of youths. This is despite the fact thatthey represent 60 per cent of the population in the state.'' Youthsfrom UP were already playing a vital role in the development of Punjab,Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka, he said, adding the time had comefor them to play a major role in UP also.

Assuring youths that he would continue to work for their causeeven after the ongoing assembly polls, Mr Gandhi claimed his only aimwas to ''save the state from further destruction'' and ensure that lawand justice prevailed.

Expressing concern over the ''dismal'' performance of UP in allspheres of development, the Congress star campaigner urged support forhis party to expedite the process of development and growth.

Flaying the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime, he alleged, ''it ispainful that UP has become a 'shelter' for history-sheeters. In thelast 15 years, the non-Congress governments have pushed the state threeages back. Even, Mr Yadav has nothing to do with the development and ishand-in-glove with criminals.'' ''The non-Congress governments had onlycases of loot, murders and rapes to present to people. They areconstantly engaged in dividing UP in the name of religion and caste.They have always ditched people,'' he said.

''I am not in UP only to campaign for Congress...I am in the state to constantly fight for the development of all.''

UNI