Mirzapur/Sonebhadra: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the heavy voter turnout in first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh indicated that people in the state were craving for a change.
"Whenever the poll turnout crosses 60 per cent, it indicates a change," he said referring to the 62 to 64 per cent voting in 55 constituencies spread over 10 districts.
At a poll meeting in tribal-dominated Mirzapur, he said, the heavy turnout reflected the mood of the people who were clamouring for a change of guard.
Rahul said if people want a change for good in UP, they should vote for Congress. For, if they opt for BSP, SP, they will be only backing goons and corruption.
He said his party brought the tribal bill which has benefited people in Kerala, Maharashtra and other Congress-ruled states but in UP, tribals are not getting the benefit because the state does not have a government that cares for tribals, common man and poor.
Rahul said in 2007 there was anger against the Mulayam Singh Yadav government and so people voted it out and brought in the Mayawati government which got involved in huge scams.
"Today, Mulayam and Mayawati are again coming to you and making tall promises. Did you see them amidst you in the past five years? There was drought in Bundelkhand, atrocities on farmers in Tappal - where were they? Now Mulayam says he will give free electricity, but from where? There has not been even a single industry here in the past 22 years. These people have been making promises and vanished after elections," he said in Sonebhadra.
Stressing that Congress had not merely made promises but fulfilled them as well, Rahul said, "We launched weavers' package, loan waiver scheme which prevented farmers' suicides... We brought MNREGA."
To the applause from the crowd, he said, "You should not be clapping...you have not received the benefits of these schemes like your brothers in other Congress-ruled states... This is because you do not have a Congress government... Give us five years and feel the change."
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