Congress intensifies campaign ahead of fourth-phase polls

Bulandshahar (Uttar Pradesh)/ Patna, May 3 (ANI): Intensifying its campaign ahead of the fourth-phase of Lok Sabha elections slated for Thursday, key campaigners of the Congress party, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party chief Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday launched a three-pronged attack, targeting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Third Front and the Communists respectively.

Addressing an election rally in Punjab's Jalalabad town, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal for overlooking the interests of farmers in Punjab.

Accusing the BJP of making useless allegations on the Congress, he said that the opposition had no vital issues to talk about.

"The BJP and its partners are still looking for issues. Everyday, they are trying to create new issues. They only want to fight elections on false allegations. They are at a loss to find issues. They are making directionless allegations on the Congress," said Singh.

Meanwhile, taking a swipe at a number of aspirants in the Third Front for the top job, Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi said that her party's sole aim was serving people.

"You might have heard that there is a fashion these days, you'd see everyone wants to be a prime minister. It looks as if they just have a single aim of grabbing prime minister's chair. I can confidently say that Congress party's aim is only to serve people, serving common man," Gandhi told a public rally in Shimla.

In West Bengal, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the communists.

"The state government says start industries and forget the poor. There should be bigger industries, there should be more investment, but you (the common people) should also be involved in those investments, you cannot be overlooked. This is our thinking, all should move forward and no one should lag behind," he said while campaigning in Domkal region.

Congress party along with regional ally Trinamool Congress is taking on the communists in the state.

The 15th Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in five phases on April 16, 22, 23, 30 and May 7 and 13 throughout the country.

The third phase of elections was held on Thursday, covering 107 seats.

The counting of votes will take place on May 16.

The 543-member House will be constituted before June 2. (ANI)