Money not reaching people, terror on rise in Chhattisgarh: Rahul

Dhamtari (Chhattisgarh), Nov 12 (IANS) The central government's annual fund of Rs.80 billion for Chhattisgarh was not reaching the people because of rampant corruption by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while terrorism has increased in the state during its tenure, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi said here Wednesday.

With only two days to go before the first round of polling in the state, the Congress MP said while addressing a rally in this town, about 60 km from the capital Raipur, that the BJP government falsely accused the Congress-led central government of being biased.

'When the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was in power at the centre, it was providing just Rs.800 crore (Rs.8 billion) annually to the state,' he said.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, he added, was providing Rs.80 billion to Chhattisgarh for various schemes annually.

Gandhi began his speech with a famous local slogan 'Chhattisgarhia sabse badhiya (people of Chhattisgarh are the best)'.

'You people know better if the previous Congress government worked for the state's development or the present BJP government,' he said.

'This government complains to the Centre about terrorism but it has increased in its own regime in Chhattisgarh,' the Congress general secretary remarked.

He appealed to the voters: 'Your fate is in your hands, throw out this BJP and install a Congress government for fast development.'

Elections for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases Nov 14 and 20.