Congress-Trinamool combine will free WB from misrule: Sonia

Nalhati(WB), April 20: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today claimed that West Bengal has been taken on a road of destruction under the 34-year Left Front rule and assured that the Congress-Trinamool alliance is determined to free the state from this "misrule".

"Thousands of crores of rupees have been given to the state for development and progress, but no result has been seen anywhere," she said in her 10-minute address in Nalhati constituency where finance minister Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Mukherjee is a candidate of the Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance.

"Where has the money gone and who is responsible for the sorry state of affairs," she asked and said that it was the Left Front government which was solely responsible for it.

Farmers' welfare has stopped getting importance in the eyes of the government and violence against women is on a rise, she said during her second leg of election campaign in the state.

She had earlier campaigned in north Bengal on April 15.

She said Trinamool led by Mamata Banerjee was with the Congress in full strength and the alliance was determined to free the state from Left "misrule".

Gandhi said the work culture in the state has touched a new low and farmers and industrial workers alike are in a "pathetic" condition. She alleged the state saw no development in the unorganised sector during the 34-year LF rule.

Referring to Maoist violence, she said there should be a proper integrated development plan for the Maoist-affected areas.

Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee also addressed the meeting, asking the people to vote for the Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance which, he said, would bring all round development in the state, if elected.

PTI