Rahul attacks Mayawati, says Uttar Pradesh moving backwards

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Monday kicked off his party's campaign for the 2012 Uttar Pradesh polls from here by attacking the Mayawati government, saying the state was going backwards while the country was moving ahead.

"When Hindustan is moving forward, Uttar Pradesh is going backwards," Gandhi said in his speech at the constituency in Allahabad district once represented by his great grandfather and India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Gandhi evoked Nehru's name at the beginning of his speech, saying Phulpur was his "karambhoomi (land of work)". Monday was also Nehru's birth anniversary.

He said Uttar Pradesh had seen a lot of changes, "but no progress".

Gandhi said he had learnt about the problems of the people during his numerous visits to the state.

The rally is being attended by several Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh, including union ministers Salman Khurshid, Beni Prasad Verma and Sriprakash Jaiswal.