Congress using 'Garibi Hatao' slogan since Indira Gandhi's time: Nitin Gadkari

Balasore/Baripada: Reminding the people that the 'garibi hatao' slogan used by the Congress since the days of Indira Gandhi was only to get votes, senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday asked the people to get rid of the party's 'misrule' for speedy development.

The people should remember that it was the Congress, which ruled the country for the maximum period since independence; he said addressing poll rallies at Pandasuni in Balasore, Morada in Mayurbhanj district and other places in Odisha.

Holding Congress responsible for poverty because of its faulty policies, he said "During the last ten years the country saw misrule of Congress-led UPA which created a record in corruption and increase in the prices of all commodities." On the other hand, during the NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee considerable development took place in the country with road connectivity strengthened and prices kept under control, Gadkari said.

Steps were taken for constructing concrete roads in around 1.7 lakh villages, he said.

In sharp contrast, the UPA government had been a total failure on all fronts amids growing unemployment and dismal performance in the education and health sectors.

Hitting out at BJD government in Odisha, Gadkari claimed that no development took place during the 14-year rule of Naveen Patnaik, while states ruled by BJP were taking giant strides.

More farmers were committing suicide in states ruled by non-BJP parties due to neglect of agriculture and anti-peasant policies, he alleged.