Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday urged the Bihar electorate to vote for her party and its allies in the assembly elections for the development of the state.
"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 party candidates, including Speaker Sadanand Singh, who is seeking a record seventh term from Kahalgaon, Gandhi, however, refrained from making any comment on the state's law and order situation.
Stating that the Congress had not made any compromise on 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 the closure of silk industries and handlooms in Bhagalpur, she said the 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 recurring floods in Bihar, she assured the people that the UPA government would take effective steps to find a permanent solution to the problem.
"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. The UPA government had also brought a legislation before Parliament for providing jobs to a member of each of the poor families, she added.
