Rae Bareli: Picking up the threads from her son Rahul Gandhi's attack on the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today (June 11, 2004) said Uttar Pradesh's development had suffered during the tenure of non-Congress Governments for the last 15 years and situation relating to basic amenities as also the law and order remained bad.

"In the last 14-15 years, different non-Congress Governments which came to power in the State acted as per their whims and fancies and ignored the interests of the people causing them hardships," she said addressing a public meeting in Para village, during the first visit she was making to her constituency after the elections.

Gandhi, who is on a thanksgiving tour, accompanied by Rahul, said, "Today also there is the same condition. The state of affairs as regards electricity, water, roads, law and order is bad".

She, however, said that now with a Congress-led Government in power at the Centre, there would be no hurdles in the development of this region from the Centre's side. "I assure you that in projects where the involvement of Centre was there, they would all be done," Gandhi said. At the same time, she said for the development of the whole region, it was necessary that Congress was strengthened in all the districts.

Gandhi attacked BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) for questioning Congress ability before elections to cobble a coalition and described the formation of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government at the Centre as a befitting reply to the saffron party.

She said it was not only a new experience but also a challenge.

"We proved those wrong, who thought that the Congress was incapable of forming a coalition Government. We not only firmed up a coalition but also worked out a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) in no time and without any fuss," Gandhi said.

The CMP was the guiding policy document of the government, which had taken care of the interests of all sections of the society, she said.

Special care had been taken for the welfare of the downtrodden, women, farmers and minorities, Gandhi said.

Referring to her decision not to accept the post of the Prime Minister, she said "at a time when everyone was running after power there should at least be someone whose aim was not just the Prime Minister's post."

The Congress President said she refused the Prime Minister's post at the call of her conscience' and sought her electorate's support for her decision.

Gandhi said power was not her target, she had joined politics to serve the people and would continue to fight for the values for which freedom fighters had made a lot of sacrifice.

She emphasised on strengthening the party organisation saying that it was essential for ensuring development of the State.