Rahul Gandhi mocks BJP's 'India Shining' campaign

Bhadohi (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 7 (ANI): A day before the polling for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday ridiculed the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'India Shining' campaign, and said the opposition leaders should come out from their air-conditioned homes to evaluate the realities of India.

Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi District, Gandhi said: "How can they say that 'India is shinning'? Farmers have no power supply in their houses, labourer's hands are injured and eating half a 'roti' and these people (the opposition) have been sloganeering in English that India is progressing. Do these people never go out of their houses and see the reality?"

Rahul Gandhi also hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, saying she was more concerned about establishing her mega statues and building high-rise walls around her residence that blinded her to the people's needs.

"After she (Mayawati) became the Chief Minister, she surrounded herself with 40 feet high walls and forgot about the people of the state," he added.

Drawing the attention of the voters on the issue of development, Gandhi said Uttar Pradesh is lagging behind for the last 22 years and nothing can change in two days.

"For the last 22 years, Uttar Pradesh is lagging behind and nothing can change in two days. If you want a change in two days, then do not vote Rahul Gandhi. I cannot do anything in two days," he said.

Polling for the first phase of the high voltage Uttar Pradesh assembly polls for 55 seats in 10 districts would be held on Wednesday. The fate of 862 candidates will be decided in this phase.

More than 1.70 lakh electorate would cast their votes in this phase of polling to be held in Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti.

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. The counting of votes will take place on March 6.

The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)