Congress pins UP hopes on Rahul

Claiming that the next government in Uttar Pradesh cannot be formed without the support of the Congress, the party has said the roadshow by Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi would help it get more Assembly sets this time.

"Congress' position has been consolidated wherever Rahul Gandhi has carried out his road show. The party is gaining popularity and will get more seats this time," Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said.

He charged the Samajwadi Party with supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party and said the Congress would not extend its support to either of the two for formation of their government.

"SP and BJP were two faces of the same coin. SP after claiming itself to be a secular party was extending support to the BJP and this fact is well known to the people of the state. That is why there will be no alliance with SP either before or after the elections," Jaiswal told PTI early this week.

He alleged that the two parties were helping each other to defeat Congress candidates and their understanding was also visible during the recent riots in Gorakhpur.

While the Congress had won just two seats in Kanpur city during the last Assembly election, he claimed the party will sweep all 10 seats this time.

Jaiswal said Rahul Gandhi would participate in a roadshow on April 3 or 4 in Kanpur.

But his mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had recently addressed a public meeting in Kanpur, so it was likely that she would not visit the city for electioneering.

However, other senior leaders would address public meetings shortly, he said.