Manmohan Singh a caged PM, remained under Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi's control: BJP

LALITPUR (UP): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan today alleged that Manmohan Singh was a "caged Prime Minister", who remained under control of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi.

"Manmohan Singh is a caged Prime Minister. He used to get all the orders from 10 Janpath (Sonia's residence) and he remained under control of Sonia and Rahul," Chauhan alleged while addressing an election rally in favour of Uma Bharti.

He alleged SP and BSP had made Uttar Pradesh a backward state, which is facing power crisis, and claimed in BJP-ruled MP even villages were getting 24 hours' power supply.

Listing achievements of his government, Chauhan said that development in MP began under the leadership of Uma Bharti. He said that development would take place in the entire country when BJP forms the government at the Centre.

Terming SP, Congress and BSP "anti-farmers", he said that MP government was purchasing wheat from the farmers at the rate of Rs 1,500 per quintal and was giving bonus, but in UP they were not getting right price of their produce.

Addressing the rally, Bharti said Kain and Betwa rivers would be connected when BJP comes to power after which the farmers would get adequate water for irrigation.

She said that the amount of Bundelkhand package would be increased and a separate state would be created within three years.

The former MP CM reiterated that the SP government in Uttar Pradesh would be pulled down within six months if BJP came to power at the Centre.

Replying to Congress allegation that she was an outsider, Bharti said she was from Lalitpur district, "but (Congress president) Sonia must tell from which area she hails".