Mayawati asks Rahul to direct anger at Central government

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Targeting Rahul Gandhi for his 'angry' remarks on the situation in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday said he should direct his anger at the Central government rather than turning his ire on the state administration.

With Assembly elections in UP round the corner, the BSP supremo also told the AICC General Secretary not to indulge in votebank politics and enact a 'drama' of finding fault with everything in her state and that he should focus on the Centre.

Congress hit back at Mayawati saying there is no need to 'advice' Rahul and accused her of 'misusing maximum funds' given by the Centre in constructing parks and erecting statues including those of her own,

Mayawati's attack on Rahul came two days before the Congress leader kicks off the Congress poll campaign in UP.

The Chief Minister while referring to Rahul's recent remarks that the prevailing state of affairs in UP makes him angry claimed that welfare issues do not get the attention of the Congress 'yuvraj' and he does not get angry over them.

Without naming Rahul, Mayawati said she wants to tell the 'yuvraj' that 'instead of enacting drama for votebank politics, issuing wrong statements and expressing anger, he should rather direct it (anger) on the government in Delhi'.

Mayawati said Rahul should also help on the issue of inflation and rising petrol prices which were posing immense hardships to the people in UP.

"As an MP from the state he should exert pressure on the union government for releasing funds for the welfare works and projects for Uttar Pradesh," she said.

Speaking at a function to dedicate UP Viklang Uddhar Shakuntala Misra University on the outskirts of the state capital here, she also questioned Rahul's 'silence' on 'attacks and harassment' on the people from UP when they go to Congress-ruled states like Maharashtra and Delhi in search of livelihood.

Rahul had recently said that a deep sense of anguish overtakes him when he sees 'corruption, poverty and exploitation of people in Uttar Pradesh'.

Mayawati in her rejoinder to the remark sarcastically said that Gandhi does not get angry at his party ruled government in Haryana when Dalits are 'uprooted' there.

Taking potshots at the Congress for stating that there was 'jungle raj' in UP, she referred to various incidents taking place in the earlier Congress governments of the state saying at that time it was regarded the rule of law.

In New Delhi, AICC spokesman Rashid Alvi said there is no need to advise Rahul Gandhi.

"She is always hungry for funds despite receiving maximum funds from the Centre. It is a state where maximum funds have been misused," he said.

Mayawati has 'misused funds in constructing parks and erecting statutes including her own, which is unheard of in our country,' Alvi added.