Tuesday, February 1 2005 16:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhagalpur: Underlying the need for giving development a fillip, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (Feb 1, 2005) asked the electorate to vote for her party and its allies in the Assembly elections for building a new Bihar.

"We are very much concerned about the prevailing situation in Bihar which needs more development, more employment avenues for youth and poverty alleviation programmes for the weaker and backward sections of the society," Gandhi told an election rally in Bhagalpur.

Canvassing support for her party candidates, including Speaker of State Assembly Sadanand Singh, who is seeking a record seventh term from Kahalgaon, Gandhi refrained from making any comment on the State's law and order situation.

Stating that the Congress had not made any compromise on the issues concerning Bihar, Gandhi laid stress on a conducive atmosphere for industrial growth by setting up new industries and improving basic infrastructure to check exodus (of labourers, unemployed youths) and to ensure all-round growth.

Referring to closure of silk industries and handlooms in Bhagalpur, she said the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government-led by the Congress at the Centre would take steps to improve the lot of the weavers.

Referring to the devastation caused by the recurring floods in Bihar, the Congress president assured the people that the UPA Government would take effective steps to find a permanent solution to it.

"We are also serious about the problems of farmers in Bihar and we have taken a number of steps for improving irrigation facilities and providing loans to them," she said adding that the UPA Government had also brought a Legislation before Parliament for providing jobs to a member of each of the poor families."

Gandhi admitting that Bihar, a land where Lord Buddha got enlightenment and the ancient Vikramshila University in Bhagalpur, which had gifted several scholars to the world, was also lagging behind in the field of education.

"More thrust is required to be given on educational front for employment of youths," she said and recalled the contributions made by former President Rajendra Prasad and freedom fighter Maulana Majharul Haque from Bihar.

Mounting a scathing attack on the previous NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government led by BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) at the Centre for allegedly promoting its communal agenda, she alleged that the Vajpayee Government had "played into hand of communal forces".

"The decisive and fascist forces wanted to destroy the secular fabric of the country but the electorate realised it and voted them out of power," she added.

Senior Congress leaders, Ambika Soni, Mohsina Kidwai, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramjatan Sinha were also present.