BJP controls smaller parties to split votes, says Rahul in Haryana polls campaign

Ambala, Sep 30 (IANS) Signalling the Congress in Haryana in united by holding the hands of top party leaders -- two-time chief minister Bhupinder Hooda and MP Hooda and Kumari Selja -- Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday appealed to the voters of the state to cast vote carefully as the ruling BJP has "control over smaller parties and Independents who are seeking to split anti-BJP votes" to pave a way for the party to return to power. 

Speaking at a public meeting held in Naraingarh, the hometown of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Rahul Gandhi said the BJP government has created two Hindustans in the country -- "one for the big capitalists, who are only 5 per cent, while on the other hand India is of 95 per cent poor, labourers, farmers, Dalits and backward classes".

"The government is taking money out of the pockets of 95 per cent people," the Congress MP said.

Rahul Gandhi then set out on the Vijay Sankalp Yatra for Ambala, Yamunanagar and Kurukshetra districts by road. There was tremendous enthusiasm from the public en route.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda, Sirsa MP Kumari Selja and Congress state President Chaudhary Udaibhan were also present with him.

At the rally, Rahul Gandhi ensured Hooda and Kumari Selja joined hands on the dais, leaving leaders amused.

In his address before embarking on Haryana Vijay Sankalp Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said respect for all sections is necessary within the government, but at the same time their economic upliftment is also necessary.

"Every section needs money for education, health and the future of children," he said.

He said in 10 years of the BJP, employment has ended in the state.

"The youth are compelled to sell their farms and take up to Rs 50 lakh on high interest and go abroad through the 'Dunki' route through forests and sea. Farmers' lands are being snatched in the name of development, but the government never takes the land of capitalists. When three 'black laws' were imposed, farmers were forced to take to the streets," he said.

"With a feeling of patriotism, children of farmers, workers and children of the middle class used to go to the border as soldiers. The BJP has cheated them and snatched the permanent jobs and pension of the soldiers in the name of Agniveer," he said.

"This is why the Congress has made a manifesto that tells how to give back the money snatched by the BJP government to the public. That is why, when the Congress government is formed, women will be given Rs 2,000 every month, and cooking gas cylinders for Rs 500," he said.

"If 300 units of electricity are free, then farmers will be given a legal guarantee of MSP (minimum support price). Permanent jobs will be given to the youth by making 2 lakh permanent recruitments. The poor will be given Rs 3.5 lakh to build homes on 100 square yard plots. Treatment up to Rs 25 lakh will be free," Rahul Gandhi said, listing out schemes announced by the party in its manifesto.

He said by conducting caste census, "we want to see how many people are from which caste and how much right they are getting".

"Today, out of 90 officers running the country, only three are OBCs (Other Backward Classes). Out of Rs 100 of the budget, only Re 1 is in the hands of a Dalit officer. There is no Dalit CEO in 250 big companies. The BJP is opposing the caste census so that this truth does not come before the public," the Congress MP said.

Urging the people of Haryana to vote carefully, Rahul Gandhi said the control of small parties and Independent candidates is in the hands of the BJP.

"There is a need to be cautious of them. The electoral battle is directly between the Congress and the BJP," he said.

Earlier, the brother-sister Gandhi duo (Rahul and Priyanaka) drove through Ladwa en route to Thanesar. This was their first joint appearance in the poll-bound state.

In her speech, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra raked up the Agnipath scheme and MSP on crops.

"They (BJP leaders) claim to give MSP on 24 crops but 10 of them are not grown in Haryana. They just gave unemployment and schemes like Agniveer. You go to the border to die or return home to struggle for a job again. What happened to the wrestlers? Our PM did not spare five minutes to meet them when they were on the streets," she said.

The 90-member Haryana Assembly is scheduled to go to polls on October 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on October 8. While the BJP is aiming for a hat-trick this time, the Congress is aiming to come back to power in Haryana after 2014.

--IANS

vg/pgh