Uttar Pradesh a victim of short-sighted politics: Rahul

Agartala, Oct 6 : Uttar Pradesh is a victim of short-sighted politics as "narrow-minded" politicians have hampered its development over the years, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi said here Tuesday.

"I have a relation with the people of Uttar Pradesh. I would do whatever possible for the development of this state, especially for the rural masses," Gandhi told reporters during his day-long visit to the northeastern state of Tripura.

The Congress leader was scheduled to visit poll-bound Arunachal Pradesh to address election rallies but his helicopter could not fly there due to bad weather.

Gandhi addressed a pre-scheduled Youth Congress workshop in Manughat in northern Tripura and another at Agartala, capital of Tripura. He also interacted with state Congress leaders.

He said: "It does not matter whatever Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayabati says about my visits to the state and my mission for the state. My only concern is the betterment of people, especially Dalits, tribals and women."

"I have a job for Uttar Pradesh. India's most productive and leading state should not be disfigured by narrow-minded politicians," Gandhi observed.

Regarding India's poor ranking on the UN Human Development Report (HDR) 2009, he said: "There are two Indias here - one is poverty-striken India and another is well-off India. The Youth Congress has been working to bridge the gap between the two."

"Education is one of the basic factors for the rural India. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is working hard to change the economic condition of the poorest of the poor. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) would be further improved and expanded to offer more benefit to the underprivileged population."

Looking to consolidate the gains made by the Congress in the Left-ruled Kerala in the Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi is visiting the state Wednesday to interact with party leaders there.

"His one-day visit to the south Indian state assumes significance as by-polls to three assembly seats are slated for Nov 7," youth Congress leader Shanker Sanadi said.(IANS)