Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), Charging up the election atmosphere in Chhattisgarh, Congress general secretary and MP Rahul Gandhi Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state of being "corrupt and anti-development".

Addressing a rally at Jagdalpur, district headquarters of Bastar, Gandhi said: "The Congress-led UPA (United Progressive Alliance) central government is providing Rs.8,000 crore (80 billion) to Chhattisgarh for various schemes but the money is not reaching the people because of rampant corruption in the government."

"When the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was in power at the centre it was providing just Rs.800 crore (eight billion) to the state."

"Despite 10 times more funding, development has been halted. The state has witnessed only a sharp rise in corruption as well as Naxalism (Maoism)," the Congrses leader remarked.

Thirty nine of the 90 assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh go to polls Nov 14 in the first phase of the two-phase elections. Voting will also be held in the Maoist-dominated Bastar region's 12 constituencies. In last polls, the BJP won nine in the region while the Congress bagged three.

Gandhi asked the people to vote the Congress to power in the state "as it will help the state to witness development and also the proper use of money coming in from the central government".

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