Sonia, Mamata share dais, inaugurate 12 new trains

KANPUR: Sharing a common platform, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee flagged off 12 new trains, including two Duranto and a Shatabdi, from the industrial city today.

Gandhi, speaking on the occasion, asked all political parties to rise above petty politics and support the Centre in taking Uttar Pradesh on the road to development.

"I want to place Uttar Pradesh on the trajectory of growth but it is possible only when all parties rise above petty politics and support the Central government," she said.

Gandhi said it was because of the policies pursued by the UPA government that the country was not much affected by the global financial meltdown.

"The government ensured sufficient financial assistance to all states, though it is a different issue whether the funds were rightly utilised."

Smiling and chatting, Gandhi and Railway Minister Banerjee flagged off 12 new trains, originating from different cities in Uttar Pradesh to various destinations in the country, at the function.

Nearly a month ago, Banerjee had attacked the Centre over galloping food prices and the Maoist threat in West Bengal.

Minister of State for Railways E Ahmed and K H Muniyappa, local Congress MP Sriprakash Jaiswal and several other leaders attended the function.