Why does UP need adopted son, when it has its own: Priyanka hits out at PM

Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit the campaign trail with in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli along with brother Rahul Gandhi on Friday.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment that he is "adopted son" of UP, Priyanka questioned if the state really needed any leader from outside when it has its own sons.

"PM Narendra Modi had earlier too said Varanasi has adopted me and I am like a son for it and will develop it...I felt, does UP need to adopt anyone from outside," she said to a cheering crowd here in the Lok Sabha constituency of her mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

"Modiji, does the state need to adopt anyone from outside. Is there no youth here...You have two such youth in Rahulji and Akhileshji before you who have UP in their hearts and mind," Priyanka told the gathering at the public meeting which was addressed by her following her brother and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

In her brief but impassioned speech, she said, "No outside leader is required. Every single youth of the state can become a leader.... Every single youth here will work for UP and make the state progress by leaps and bounds. This is the wish of Rahulji and Akhileshji."

Making an appeal to the voters, she said, "Please ensure the alliance's victory."

Accusing the Prime Minister of ignoring the plight of the farmers, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said that the farmers had only three demands-- loan waivers, reducing the electricity bill by half and the right price for selling their produce.

Speaking at a poll rally in Raebareli, Gandhi said "Two crore farmers have asked Modi to waive off their loans, but there was no response from Modi. He didn’t speak about loans about farmers Congress had waived Rs 70,000 crore of farmers’ loans when it was in Centre, not UP. Modi can waive off loans in 15 minutes but no one does it. Modi had promised special packages to Bihar as well, but what happened?"

He also took on the Prime Minister for his recent speech at Benares, saying “Modi ji rishta bolney se nahi bantey hai, rishtey nibhaane se bantey hai (Relationships are not forged by mere words, relationships are built by fulfilling promises).”

Pulling in Bollywood references, Rahul said, “Instead of Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge as “Achhe Din” -- Modi’s poll chant -- people get ‘Gabbar Singh’ from Sholay.”

The rally was also attended by his sister Priyanka Gandhi who had raised eyebrows by staying away from the poll fray in the state.

The Samajwadi Party is also expecting to cash in from Priyanka Gandhi’s first election rally in Raebareli. SP believes that Priyanka’s presence is expected to make a lot of difference as far as the votes are concerned.

Priyanka Gandhi played a key role in sewing the seat-sharing alliance of the two parties, according to which the Samajwadi Party and the Congress have fielded 298 and 105 candidates in the state, respectively.

The next five phases of polling in UP will be held in will be held on February 19, 23, 27 and March 4 and 8. Counting of votes will be done on March 11.