Sonia Gandhi in Odisha: BJP hankering after chair and power

Sonia Gandhi attacks BJP, BJD at election rally Khariar, Odisha
Khariar, Odisha: Congress president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday launched a blistering attack on both BJP and the BJD while addressing a election rally at Khariar in Odisha as part of her campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
She accused of the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in the state of rampant corruption and non-performance when it came to implementation of Central schemes for the poor in the state. Sonia Gandhi also slammed the BJP for hoodwinking the voters with false and hollow promises and launching a tirade against the UPA based with lies and false facts. The Congress President also informed that her party’s manifesto for the 2014 general election offers free health care and right to shelter for every poor family if it is voted back to power at the Centre.
Sonia Gandhi went on with her attack on the BJD government in the state for its complicity in the huge mining scam that was worth several lakh crores of rupees and said it was a pity that people of this mineral-rich state did not get any benefit from the mining sector which was allowed to be looted in such brazen manner. The Congress leader also reminded the people of the series of scams that have taken place during the BJD regime including the chit fund scam, mid-day meal scam and the dal scam. Sonia Gandhi also lashed out at the state government for its failure to utilise Central funds meant for the marginalised sections such as poor widows. She said development could have been much faster and better had her party been in government in the state.
“If you compare the amount of Central funds that have flown into Odisha over the last 10 years of UPA rule with the money that reached the state under the NDA regime, you will see a huge difference” she said. Sonia Gandhi further stated that unlike under the NDA regime, the Odisha government had received huge amounts of Central funds and liberal assistance for development work in the state; she said the BJD government had failed to deliver at the grass roots level.
She also recalled the significant role Rahul Gandhi played in defending the rights of the tribal people in Niyamgiri and said Congress has always been on the side of the poor, dalits and tribals and had brought legislations for their welfare and their rights to food security, forest, land and livelihood. “It was Rahul Gandhi who had visited Niyamgiri when the tribals were in trouble” said the Congress President.
Taking on the BJP, Sonia Gandhi said while the Congress was committed to work for the poor and common people, the opposition party was hankering after chair and power. The Congress President said the country was passing through a testing time and people should discern between the genuine ones and those with masks.
Appealing the people not to fall into the trap of hollow and fake promises dished out by the BJP, Sonia Gandhi urged the voters to support Congress in all Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in the state.
The full text of speech of Congress President Sonia Gandhi in Khariar, Odisha