BJP's big contributor UP gets little in rail budget

Lucknow, July 8 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh, which contributed 71 Lok Sabha members to the BJP's kitty, Tuesday did not get any preferential treatment in the rail budget.

While Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was given a daily express train between the city and New Delhi, and four trains were extended, other parts of the state were given a short shrift.

No new surveys for laying of rail lines on new routes were announced and the state capital, represented by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, was only given a special weekly air-conditioned train between the city and Lokmanya Tilak terminus in Mumbai.

Six express trains and two high-speed routes - New Delhi-Kanpur and New Delhi-Agra - were announced.

A Jan Sadharn train was also announced for Lucknow.

While the Bahujan Samaj Party termed the budget "anti-poor", the ruling Samajwadi Party said the expectations of the state were belied by the railway minister.

Samajwadi Party chief and Lok Sabha member from Azamgarh, Mulayam Singh Yadav said the "budgetary provisions were grossly disappointing".