Rail budget 'most disappointing': UP leaders

Lucknow, Feb 26: Dubbing the Rail Budget as 'most disappointing' for the state, political parties in Uttar Pradesh rued that no new train was alloted even to UP which has elected 73 MPs in the ruling BJP-led NDA at the Centre.

"The first full-fledged Rail Budget of the (Narendra) Modi government is totally lack-lustre for the poor people after the big dreams it had shown them, specially for the people of Uttar Pradesh," Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati said in a statement.

"There is nothing for Uttar Pradesh in the Rail Budget... even the constituencies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Varanasi) and Home Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow) have been ignored," Samajwadi Party state unit spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said.

"Though the assertion of bringing a change in the basic infrastructure and cleanliness drive looks good but everyone is aware that nothing is going to take shape soon," Chaudhary said, adding if the Railway Minister really wants to bring a change, he would have to show the will power to take courageous steps.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief Nirmal Khatri in a statement said people of the state are feeling betrayed by the Rail Budget.

"People, especially those in Uttar Pradesh, had high expectations but they are feeling let down as not a single new train has been given to the state," Khatri said.

The Congress leader alleged that the provisions made in the budget indicate that Modi government is trying to hand over the Railways to capitalists and private players.

PTI