Power, water, roads

Bhopal, Feb 17 (UNI) Newly-appointed Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee President Suresh Pachouri today indicated that besides power, roads and water issues, his party would also highlight the corruption issue ahead of the Assembly election stated later this year.

''The Bharatiya Janata Party came to power on 'Bijli',' Sadak,' 'Pani' ('BSP') but failed to get rid of related problems. Corruption has spread from the lowest to the highest rung,'' he told reporters here.

Furnishing 'BSP' statistics, Mr Pachouri claimed that the UPA government at the Centre provided more assistance to the state compared to the previous National Democratic Alliance regime.

Describing as ''baseless'' the Madhya Pradesh government's allegations that the Centre was meting out ''step-motherly treatment'' to the state, he said,''The Congress doled out even more fund allocation to the state for enhancing power generation.'' Likewise, more and more funds were provided under the Sarvashiksha, tribal, Prime Minister's Rural Roads Scheme and other heads he added.

Refuting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's allegation that the Centre supplied sub-standard imported red wheat to the state, Mr Pachouri challenged Mr Chouhan to make the wheat inquiry report public.

''The state regime is politically harassing Opposition parties' workers, particularly those of the Congress, and criminal cases are being registered against them. My party will protest against this at a political level besides taking other steps,'' he warned.

Regarding the Bahujan Samaj Party's allegedly increasing influence in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Pachouri claimed that the party's recent rally here would not impact on state politics.

''That party emerged victorious in Uttar Pradesh as it was the sole alternative to the Samajwadi Party. The outcome of hustings in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh proved that the party has no base in other states,'' he added.

UNI AG-AC HS RK1938