Rajiv Shukla plays down dismal performance of Congress in UP

New Delhi, Mar 6 (ANI): Congress leader Rajiv Shukla on Tuesday played down the dismal performance of the party in Uttar Pradesh, saying the ruling party at the Centre will play an important role in the future of Uttar Pradesh after the formation of this legislative assembly.

"See as far as Uttar Pradesh is concerned, our voting percentage has gone up and our seats has also increased. It is, however, not as per our expectations. But in Uttar Pradesh we will be able to get 50 to 60 seats as per the trend. We managed to get only 22 seats the last time and the voting percentage was also very low. This time the voting has increased in our favour," said Shukla.

"So, there is a better environment for the party in Uttar Pradesh this time. We have become a major power in Uttar Pradesh. Congress will play an important role in the future of Uttar Pradesh after the formation of this legislative assembly," he added.

Lauding the hard work put in by Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh, Shukla said the organization could not bank upon the campaign of the Congress General Secretary or else the party would have got 150 seats. (ANI)

"Rahul Gandhi made the Congress relevant in Uttar Pradesh, earlier the Congress was irrelevant there. But the organization could not bank upon Gandhi's campaign or else we would have got 150 seats," he said.

As per the latest trend in Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP) is leading in 180 seats followed by Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is ahead in 94 seats. The Congress is leading only in 48 seats. (ANI)