Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Jan. 29 : Expressing confidence of winning the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said 'progress, prosperity and peace' is the motto of the historical alliance between his party and the Samajwadi Party.
Continuing his outburst against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said this alliance is against the former's politics.
"Our partnership is an answer. This in a way is a merger of Ganga and Yamuna; progress will be witnessed very soon. If we say it in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words, this is three 'P'-prosperity, progress and peace," he said.
Expressing his delight over the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and Congress, Gandhi said this partnership is an answer to politics of division and hate.
"Akhilesh (Yadav) and I don't just have a political relationship, but also a personal one. Our alliance will truly help Uttar Pradesh," he added. Gandhi, who was addressing a joint press conference with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, said the politically crucial state has throughout history given a strong response to various situations in the country and outside it.
Responding to a poser about the Congress Party's earlier slogan '27 Saal UP Behal', Gandhi said, "I had said Akhilesh is a good boy, but he wasn't allowed to work." Gandhi further said that this alliance will put an end to the anger being spread by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"We want to stop the aggression that RSS-BJP is spreading and the false promises they are giving. We want to give the youth of UP a new path, a new politics," he said. The Congress vice-president, however, kept his cards closed when asked whether Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh will also be campaigning in Uttar Pradesh.
"I will not tell you anything about the campaign strategy," he said. - Echoing similar sentiments, Akhilesh said it is a people's alliance, adding there is no doubt about the fact that it would emerge victorious in all the seats.
"There was a mention of 3P. Let me add the fourth one- this is people's alliance. Rahul Gandhi and I know each other. It is a matter of happiness that we will now also work together. We are like two wheels of the same cycle - one of progress and one of prosperity. Cycle and hand is a great combination," he added. Taking potshots at the BJP over its promise of 'ache din' and the November 8 demonetisation drive, Akhilesh said: "The people will respond to those who are responsible for making them stand in queues.
They are not satisfied with notes ban move. We have seen winters, summers and monsoon. We also saw yesterday's manifesto. But has anyone seen 'ache din' as yet?" Uttar Pradesh will be voting for a new state assembly in a seven-phase election between February 11 and March 8.
Out of the 403 assembly seats, Congress will be contesting in 105 seats and the Samajwadi Party will field its candidates in rest of the 298 seats.
Source: ANI
