Sonia Gandhi accuses PM Modi of taking away people's 'happiness'

New Delhi [India], Feb 22 (ANI): Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who has been absent from the recent political campaign in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, on Wednesday issued a statement against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), slamming it for taking away the 'happiness of the people'. Unleashing a tirade of accusations against the Centre, Sonia said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government is depriving you (people) of welfare programmes deliberately, and I am pained to see this happening. Instead of bringing good days, this government has taken away the happiness of people." "Have you ever seen a government that works against its people and make them week? Sadly, the Modi Government is doing this. It is working for a handful of industrialists," the statement added. Further trying to establish a relationship with the people of Raebareli and Amethi, Sonia Gandhi said, "Raebareli and Amethi have become an integral part of our lives. Ours is a special relationship, biggest asset of my life." It was the first time since 1998 that Gandhi didn't campaign for the Congress in her constituency. The fourth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on Thursday in 53 assembly constituencies spread over 12 districts, including the backward Bundelkhand region and the Nehru-Gandhi pocket borough of Raebareli. Other districts going to polls in this phase are Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur. (ANI)