Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday alleged that Dalits, Other Backward Classes and Brahmins have been exploited by the Uttar Pradesh government, India Today reported.

Vadra was addressing a rally at Chief Minister Adityanath’s bastion of Gorakhpur, months ahead of the Assembly elections in the state.

She alleged that Adityanath was running the government “against the teachings of Guru Gorakhnath”, referring to the 11th century Hindu saint after whom the city of Gorakhpur has been named. Adityanath has been the chief priest of the Gorakhnath Math, which is located in the city, since September 14.

“Yogi ji forgot Gorakhpur after becoming CM,” Vadra said. “Corpses were seen floating in rivers during coronavirus pandemic and health services are in poor condition.”

The Congress leader alleged that there was a shortage of fertilisers in the state. She also claimed that while the crops, manure and harvest of farmers were being sold to industrialists, the latter were dying while standing in line for fertilisers.

“I visited four houses in Lalitpur, where two people committed suicide due to lack of manure,” Vadra said. “Two people died while standing in line for manure...They were buried in debt of Rs 3-4 lakh. I am seeing such scenes everywhere.”

Vadra said that if the Congress comes to power, then all the loans of farmers will be waived, PTI reported. “Wheat and paddy will be purchased at Rs 2,500 per quintal, while sugarcane will be purchased at Rs 400 per quintal,” she said. “The problem of stray cattle will be resolved on the lines of Chhattisgarh, and a complete solution will be evolved.”

Vadra added that if the Congress is elected, 20 lakh people will be given government jobs, and contractual workers will be regularised.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly election is expected to be held in February or March 2022. The Bharatiya Janata Party had emerged victorious in the 2017 election, winning 312 seats. The Congress had won seven seats.