'UP ministers had gala time while poor suffered'

Etah: The poor in Uttar Pradesh suffered while Mayawati's ministers earned thousands of crores by siphoning off Central funds meant for the state, Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday alleged.

"Poor and downtrodden suffered in the regime of BSP and Chief Minister Mayawati kept on wasting money on elephant statues," Khurshid said while addressing a rally in Etah.

Ministers in the BSP regime had a gala time as they earned thousands of crores, he claimed.

Attacking Samajwadi Party the Law Minister said that it was a party of goonda (unsocial) elements.

"During SP's regime goonda elements ruled the state and it was like a kitchen cabinet of a family," said the union minister.

He also termed the BJP as a "communal" party and said that the party always had an intention of creating gulf between Hindus and Muslims.