Opposition envious of Cong's rising popularity: Mahabir

Gorakhpur, May 3 (UNI) Asserting the that Congress has strengthened its position with rounds of roadshows conducted by AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, senior party leader and Union Small Scale Industry Minister Mahabir Prasad today said the opposition was green with envy ''due to our increasing mass base.'' Addressing a press meet here, Mr Prasad said, ''I am happy with the growing popularity of Congress, especially with the young lots.

I am confident that the party will surely win more seats as compared to the last UP Assembly poll.'' ''If Congress wins the ongoing state election, a special economic package would be brought for the development of Poorvanchal,'' the minister claimed.

Inveighing the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime, he said ''it is painful that every year fatal Japanese Encephalitis (JE) kills a large number of people in Poorvanchal. The Congress-led UPA at the Centre always provide financial help to the state govenment, which is sadly misutilised or not utilised at all.'' UNI