The Congress on Wednesday termed Uttar Pradesh chief Minister Mayawati's allegations on drought-hit Bundelkhand as a 'blatant lie' and asked its workers and leaders to seek an account of the central funds and 'expose' the Bahujan Samaj Party leader.
Mayawati had on Tuesday said that the Congress, which ruled the state for the longest period of 38 years, was esponsible for the continuing backwardness of the drought-hit region.
"Congress workers should use the Right to Information Act to seek the truth and visit every block to expose the lies of the BSP supremo before the people," All-India Congress Committee general secretary and the party's in-charge of the state Digvijay Singh said, while addressing Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee delegates at a workshop in Lucknow.
The workshop, called to chalk out the party's strategy for launching a 'hisab do abhiyan' (furnish the account campaign) against the Bahujan Samaj Party government, witnessed state Congress leaders launching a scathing attack on Mayawati for her alleged failure to 'properly utilise central funds'.
"The state government has not been utilising the central funds allotted to it for carrying out welfare schemes for the people of the state," Singh alleged.
"Bundelkhand is in a very bad shape. People are dying of starvation while Mayawati is busy celebrating her birthday and constructing parks," he said.
Refuting the allegation that the BSP supremo was being 'targeted' by the Centre, he said she would have to 'explain her assets and properties worth crores'.
Singh said, "If she receives donations from any quarters, she must furnish an account of it. Earlier, it was for the party, but now she is transferring these assets in her family's name".
He sought to refute criticism that the Centre had not sanctioned funds for Uttar Pradesh, saying that in the 11th Five Year Plan, the state had been allotted Rs 1.82 lakh crore.
Singh referred to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's effort to revive the party in the state and asked the workers to work for the interest of Dalits.
"Rahul has shown the way by communicating directly with the Dalits. Staying at a Dalit's house, as Mahatma Gandhi used to do, for a night proves it amply," he said.
Singh said that all Pradesh Congress Committee delegates must take part in the 'hisab do abhiyan' and those not doing so would be removed from their posts.
He asked the delegates to send a 'secret report' to UPCC chief Reeta Bahuguna Joshi on the prospective candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Joshi, in her address, said that a meeting of the UPCC office bearers in Kanpur would be convened in February in which the date for launching the 'hisab do abhiyan' would be announced.
She said that the Congress would go it alone in the next Lok Sabha polls and would not enter into an alliance with any party.