Akola (Maharashtra): Launching Congress-NCP's (Nationalist Congress Party) Maharashtra assembly election in the sensitive Vidarbha region, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Oct 10, 2004) said, he was "begging" to the people of the region to strengthen the hands, of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

"I will take special care to ensure full implementation of the promises made by Congress and its allied parties to the people of Vidarbha and Marathwada. So, brothers and sisters, today I have come to beg to you to strengthen the hand of Soniaji," Singh told an election rally in Akola.

"Soniaji has come forward to take our country forward and along with us NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who is a great leader of our country, has also come forward shoulder to shoulder," he said.

The Prime Minister assured the people of Vidarbha region to personally monitoring the developmental issues of the backward region for the next five years.