I will keep on visiting Dalit homes: Rahul Gandhi

Hitting out at opposition parties for calling his visit to Dalit homes as "madness", Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today said he would continue to indulge in such an act all his life.

"Leaders of opposition parties travel in helicopters and AC vehicles, they feel ashamed in coming to your homes, share food and drink water," he told rallies in the two districts in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

"When I visit your homes, eat and stay, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati term it as madness. If visiting houses of the poor and enquiring about their well being is madness, I will do this all my life," Rahul said.

The BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh for five years, but "India Shining" was nowhere visible in the state, he said adding "they coined this slogans after watching television".

He said the Congress had been out of power in UP for 22 years and during this period BSP, SP and BJP had cheated the people.

The state had progressed only when Congress was in power, the Congress leader said.

The ruling party leaders in Uttar Pradesh should visit Congress-run states and see the condition of farmers and the poor there, he said.

Rahul said the Centre had launched a number of schemes, including RTE and RTI, which benefitted the people but this was not visible to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.

"The money sent for the people through these schemes was eaten up by the elephant (BSP's poll symbol)," he said.

"But now Mayawati's elephant won't be able to eat money as notification for the election has been issued," Rahul said.

He said "whether it takes five years or 10 years, I will not move from UP."