Mayawati orders probe into rail factory issue

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has accused Congress chief Sonia Gandhi of 'hatching a political conspiracy' against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) over withdrawal of land in Rae Bareli for a rail coach factory and ordered an inquiry into the issue.

"It is a calculated move by the Congress party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Sonia Gandhi and her party are misguiding people by projecting that the BSP is against development," Mayawati said at a press conference yesterday.

She said an inquiry, to be completed in three days, was being ordered so that the Congress could not misuse the issue further to strengthen its vote bank.

"In order to give a befitting reply to the Congress, the BSP will also organise a rally in Rae Bareli whose date will be announced later," said Mayawati, who had cancelled a rally to be held there by Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday.

"If the Congress really wants development in the true sense, why is the party not taking up any development projects in Bundelkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh?"

The Mayawati government had on Saturday night taken back the land allotted for the rail coach factory project of the central government in Rae Bareli, which is the parliamentary constituency of Sonia Gandhi and is located 80km from Lucknow.

Mayawati said in order to gain political mileage, the Congress could not think of development outside Rae Bareli and Amethi, the latter being the constituency of Sonia Gandhi's son Rahul.

Colour of politics

Mayawati alleged that the same Congress party, which was unnecessarily giving a political colour to the rail coach factory issue had always been opposing development projects undertaken by the BSP.

"The Congress party has always opposed various projects, including the Ganga Expressway, the Yamuna Expressway and others. Is it not anti-development?" asked Mayawati.

She said the Congress was "indulging in a political drama" to divert public attention from its inability to create better job opportunities for the youth.