Rahul says, Congress will always stand for ordinary person

Amritsar, May 11 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that his party would always stand for the ordinary man unlike the National Democratic Alliance, which ignored various sections of society, including the poor, the farmers and the Dalits during its tenure.

"When the Congress government came to power in 2004, Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and we all made just one promise that we will work for the 'aam admi,' farmers of Punjab, mazdoor (labourers), Dalit and it will be there government. We functioned as per our promise," he said, slamming the NDA for "thinking" about the rich and upper classes.

Rahul said the opposition parties made a new promise daily. He ridiculed NDA's slogan of 'India shining' during the Lok Sabha elections in 2004, by terming the English slogan intended for the privileged.

Gandhi lampooned the BJP leaders for telling the entire country that India was shining. "But they did not go to the houses of the poor, the farmers, the Dalit and other weaker sections. They just went to the houses of the rich. You (voters) then showed them the door," Rahul said.

He claimed that the biggest achievement of the UPA in its five-year rule was employment guarantee scheme, providing for 100 days of assured employment during the year.

Rahul Gandhi said that the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was the "pride of Punjab and the country" who took the country forward in all spheres.

"Manmohan Singh is pride of Punjab and India," said Rahul Gandhi while sharing a stage in any election rally for the first time with the prime minister Dr. Singh.

During his earlier visits to the state on 5th and 9th May, Rahul addressed election rallies at Barnala, Mohali, Ludhiana, Moga and Hoshiarpur. (ANI)