Stung by Prime Minister's criticism of her government's track-record on development, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday claimed Manmohan Singh was being misled on the issue by Congress state leaders as the party was nervous about Bahujan Samaj Party's growing support base.
"The Prime Minister is not at fault. He will speak what the Congress leaders will tell him to say," Mayawati said at an election rally in Ramaipur.
Questioning the BSP government's performance on the development and law and order fronts, the Prime Minister had, at a rally in the district on Friday, alleged that its "failure" to implement the Central schemes was responsible for the dismal situation in the state.
The BSP supremo on Saturday rejected Singh's statement saying, "The Congress is very nervous about the growing support base of the Bahujan Samaj Party and therefore its leaders are resorting to giving misleading statements."
She said while the Congress was blaming her party for the lack of development in UP, it was the UPA government which had rejected her demand for a Rs 80,000-crore development package which forced her party to withdraw support to the alliance.
"The Congress ruled the state for 40 years and was at the helm at the Centre for 50 years, but was not able to improve the condition in the state. How can it now blame us when we have not completed even five years in office?," Mayawati asked.
The Chief Minister claimed the situation was gradually improving in the state.
"Development works have been launched and the law and order situation has also improved. There is no longer 'goonda raj' in the state. Most of the criminals are either in jail or have been killed by the police and others have fled the state," she claimed.
Mayawati said the bureaucracy too was working properly as now the officials knew that they will be punished for erring.
Singh had said the morale of the government machinery was down as officials were living "in the constant fear of being transferred."
