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Gujarat polls: Sonia kicks off Congress' campaign

By Krishnakumar in Jasdan
December 01, 2007 17:26 IST
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Sonia Gandhi kicked off the Congress' campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat on Saturday with a 15-minute speech at Jasdan in Rajkot district. In her speech, Gandhi did not mention Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi or the post-Godhra riots even once.

"Today, I have come here to plead for your verdict. Not for the right to rule, but to serve this great region. We will put an end to incidents like rape and murder and offer the benefit of good governance to every single citizen. I have come to ask for your vote, to give you the right to live with your head held high. Your vote has the power to bring about change. It is not just your right, it is your duty too. Put an end to this unjust rule," she told the assembled crowd.

The only issue that Gandhi brought up was the promise of 24 hour electricity supply made by the Bharatiya Janata Party. "I don't need to tell you what happened to it. The Centre had allotted Rs 25,000 crore for electricity for rural people. But the Gujarat government didn't implement it."

Gandhi also took a dig at the saffron party, saying, "These people have started talking about Gandhi and Patel these days, but they act like (Nathuram) Godse and militants."

Without naming the BJP directly, she said, "Only during their rule, the attack on the Parliament happened. They are the same people who escorted terrorists to Afghanistan. We don't need their certificate. We know how to tackle terrorism."

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Krishnakumar in Jasdan