Sonia, Pawar share dais after 15 years

Bhandara/Nagpur (Maharashtra), April 5 (IANS) After nearly 15 years, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar Saturday shared the dais as they jointly campaigned for UPA candidates in Maharashtra.

The uncertainties of the Lok Sabha election apparently brought Pawar closer to Gandhi after he left the Congress in 1998 protesting Gandhi's Italian origin.

After leaving the Congress, Pawar floated the Nationalist Congress Party in 1999 which later became part of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance at the centre and even in Maharashtra where it is in power for the last 14 years.

Gandhi's first rally in Bhandara, Maharashtra for the general election saw Pawar joining her to campaign for the NCP candidate and union minister Praful Patel in the region affected by Maoist insurgency.

Speaking at the huge rally comprising mostly farmers and tribals, Gandhi listed the achievements of the Congress-led government at the centre for the past 10 years.

"The Congress has always supported the farming community and has been behind them at all times. We have extended help to farmers hit by the recent natural disasters," she said.

Gandhi said the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru sowed the seeds of industrialisation, then Indira Gandhi introduced the banking revolution, followed by Rajiv Gandhi who launched the communications and technological era that has today catapulted India among the most powerful nations.

"The Congress believes in working for the country's progress and development, not beating drums about non-existent achievements," she said.

"We brought the food security bill... this is unique anywhere in the world. Now we plan to introduce a similar health security bill for the people. However, the opposition does not see the development which we have achieved," she said.

Referring to the Maoists, she said efforts were underway to end the violence through various development schemes for them.

In his address, Pawar targeted Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and called him a man in great hurry to occupy the top post.

"He is in great hurry to become the bridegroom," he quipped, adding that only the Congress-NCP can ensure development of India and sought people's support.

Sonia Gandhi's rally came a day after Congress vice president and her son Rahul addressed a huge public meeting in Yavatmal.

The state's Vidarbha region - which was ravaged by drought and floods last year, followed by unseasonal rain and hailstorms - has been the focus of all political parties.