Rahul promises free electricity to farmers, LPG cylinder at Rs 500

Ahmedabad: Kicking off his party's campaign in Gujarat, where Assembly elections are slated in three months, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised free electricity to farmers, creation of 10 lakh new jobs and LPG cylinder at Rs 500 if his party is voted to power in the state.

Announcing a series of freebies, Gandhi also promised to supply up to 300 units of free power to general consumers, build 3,000 English medium schools and provide free education for girls.

Gandhi's poll promises came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Revadi' culture (freebies) is dangerous for the country, and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s recent promise of Rs 1,000 per month to women and round-the-clock power supply ahead of Gujarat elections.

Addressing the Congress's booth-level workers at the 'Parivartan Sankalp Rally' at the Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad, Gandhi also promised a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre to milk producers.

He accused the BJP government in Gujarat of insulting the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who he said was the voice of farmers in the country.

Gandhi said the Congress will focus on generating employment in the BJP-ruled Gujarat and will provide jobs to 10 lakh youth.

Targeting the ruling BJP, he said it built the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat, while on the other hand, it insulted him by working against those for whom Patel lived and died.

"The BJP government here will waive loans of top industrialists, but have you ever heard that they waived loans of farmers? I promise to waive loans of up to Rs 3 lakh of each farmer after we come to power in Gujarat." Gandhi said that Congress will grant a loan waiver to farmers as it had done in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Karnataka.