Mangalore, Oct 18 (ANI): Launching a frontal attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Karnataka, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said the people want an end to the brazen and widespread corruption in the state.
Gandhi claimed that the people are fed up with the BJP in the state for it has made empty promises.
"The BJP has betrayed the mandate of the people. People want an end to the brazen and widespread corruption and failure that has marked the BJP Government and administration," she added.
Gandhi asked the Congress Party workers to reach out to the people and win back their trust and confidence.
"As Congress workers you have a very special responsibility because on you will depend how effectively we reach out to the people and we win back their trust and confidence, on you will depend how effectively we are able to convert this public discontent and anger into a vote for change, into a vote for the Congress Party. And on you will depend how effectively we convince the people of the policy and ideas of the Congress Party," she said.
Gandhi also accused the BJP of spreading lies against the Congress-led UPA Government.
"The BJP is spreading lie against us, we should counter their lie with unity, by talking in one voice," she said.
Gandhi, who is also the chairperson of the ruling UPA Government, claimed that the Centre had given Rs 80,000 crore to the Karnataka government in the past five years, but questioned whether the state government had used it in programmes meant for the welfare of people.
The Congress President also backed the recent hike in fuel prices, reduction in subsidy on LPG cylinders and the reform measures.
"We have no control over global oil prices...we have been forced to hike prices of cooking gas and petrol," said Gandhi.
"FDI in retail will ensure link between farmers and market...the consumer also will pay less," she added, while justifying the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reforms announced by the UPA Government.
Asserting that the UPA Government was serious in fighting corruption, Gandhi said: "We brought the RTI legislation because we genuinely want to fight corruption."
The Congress President further said the UPA wanted to bring the Lokpal Bill, but the BJP stopped the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
Gandhi's visit to Karnataka assumes significance, as the Congress is trying to re-establish its popularity in this region, which has now become a BJP stronghold. (ANI)
