BSP leader Mishra accuses Congress of short-changing UP over fund allocation

Varanasi, Feb 6 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra has accused the Congress-led Central Government of short-changing Uttar Pradesh over allocation of funds to the state.

"The Central Government should allot Uttar Pradesh one-sixth of the country's funding, according to the population, but look at their statistics. Uttar Pradesh receives just one-twentieth of the total funds. Even this fraction is not fully given to us, and cuts are made. They have held back 240 billion rupees out of funds allocated to the state in the last four years," Mishra told a gathering here.

He further sought the support of the minorities and the deprived classes in the run up to assembly election.

"Come forward to unite society. Before anything else, establish ties of brotherhood with the Dalit community. The Dalits were the first to support the Bahujan Samaj Party because they were the first to recognise the true face of our opponents. Muslims and other minorities did the same, and helped increase the strength of the Bahujan Samaj Party," Mishra said.

Mishra also rejected reports of Priyanka Gandhi entering active politics, terming it as speculative.

"I do not wish to comment on her (Priyanka Gandhi). All I want to say is that what people like (Jawaharlal Nehru and others of his family were politicians, and you have seen the results of their politics."

The polls in Uttar Pradesh are being viewed as an opportunity for major parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted between February 8 and March 3. Counting will take place on March 6.

A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)