UP polls: Cong asks SP to raise regional, not international issues

Lucknow, Apr 21 (UNI) Congress today asked the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh to raise regional, not international issues, in the ongoing assembly elections.

''SP is perhaps the only regional party in the country which raises international issues in assembly polls,'' AICC's all-India minority department chairman Imran Kidwai said here.

He claimed that SP was raising issue including the execution of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and possible US attack on Iran during the election campaign to mislead the minorities. ''If you have a good record of governance, raise regional issues to win over votes,'' he said.

Referring to a recent CD allegedly distributed in Meerut during the election campaign of a SP candidate, Kidwai said the CD had clips of the execution of Mr Hussein. ''Minorities, like others, demand equal rights...they will not be misled by such campaign,'' he added.

Referring to the Babri mosque demolition, the Congress leader said the party had drifted away from Muslims. ''Now we are coming closer to them.'' UNI NAB RL KP1826