Rahul Gandhi is future of UP: PM

New Delhi: In his first speech during the current Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, on Sunday, in an election rally, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh projected Congress party scion Rahul Gandhi as the new leader, emphasising that he was the future of the state.

"Rahul Gandhi is your future. He is sweating it out for you. Only one chance is needed to make this state a new Uttar Pradesh," PTI quoted Singh as saying at the election rally in Afzalgarh.

In view of the third phase of polls in the state, scheduled for April 18, Singh, in a bid to revive the fortunes of the Congress party in the state, said, "Let's make a new Uttar Pradesh, just like (late prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi dreamt of making a new India 20 years ago.”

The Prime Minister pointed out that under the rule of non-Congress governments in the state, there had only been violence "in the name of temples and mosques", unemployment and poverty had increased and the law and order situation had deteriorated.

Singh claimed only the Congress could change the fortunes of the state and bring back peace, tranquility and good governance.

Meanwhile, Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi created another stir on his campaign tour in the state, bringing up the 'Great Gandhi contribution' in UP once again. This time around, he focused on the decision to divide Pakistan. “Once my family decides something, it doesn't go back. Whether it's about India's freedom, dividing Pakistan or taking India to the 21st century,” he said.

Rahul had earlier raised a dust over his comments that the Babri demolition wouldn't have happened if a Gandhi had been in power.

BJP Spokesperson Prakash Javdekar was quick to term Rahul's latest statement as a reflection to the monarchic mindset of the Gandhi family.

“What Rahul has been saying is exhibition of monarchic mindset. He thinks of family and nothing but family so he thinks the whole history has been written by Gandhi family. If they want to take the credit of partition of Pakistan, then they must take the blame of partition of India,” he lashed out.

(With Agency inputs)