PM Modi remembers farmers only during polls: Rahul Gandhi

RaeBareli (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Feb. 17 (ANI): Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembers farmers only at the time of elections. Comparing the Congress with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gandhi said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) also waived off farmers' loans even when it was not in power in Uttar Pradesh. "Prime Minister Modi said farmers' loans will be waived off as soon as the BJP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh. The UPA also waived off loans, but was it in power in UP then?" said Gandhi while addressing a rally here. Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Gandhi said demonetisation has adversely affected small-scale businesses, traders and farmers. Gandhi also said that Prime Minister Modi did not fulfill his promises made to Varanasi. "The Prime Minister snatched 'Made in Raebareli' because he wanted to take revenge," he said. Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the first time during campaigning. Amethi and Rae Bareli will vote in the fourth and fifth phases of polling on February 23 and February 27, respectively. The Congress will be contesting on 105 seats in the state with ally Samajwadi Party contesting from 298 out of a total of 403 seats. On Thursday, while taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi, Rahul Gandhi said the former only wants to stay in power, adding that he doesn't need to form the government in Uttar Pradesh in order to waive off the loans taken by farmers. "Prime Minister Modi only wants to stay in power, he doesn't want to speak the truth that there is much power in this state," said Gandhi while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur. (ANI)