Anand (Gujarat), Nov 3 : Kicking off her party’s campaign for the forthcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today said the Bharatiya Janata Party is cheating the country by giving air to the Ram Sethu controversy.

“They (BJP) are cheating the people on the issue of Ram Sethu. In fact, the plan was conceived during the NDA government. This project came up during their tenure at the centre. Why didn't they think of Ram then?,” Sonia Gandhi said while addressing an all-woman rally in Anand.

Appealing the state electorate to vote for her party, the Congress chief said that the BJP has dragged Lord Rama’s name to meet their political ends.

Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, the 560 million dollars project will dredge a channel in a narrow strip of sea between India and Sri Lanka, reducing distances and cutting costs for freight traffic.

Dredging for the project began in 2005 and the channel -- 12 metres deep, 300 metres wide and almost 90 km long -- will provide a crucial link between the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar.

Coming down heavily on the Narendra Modi regime, she said, “The Narendra Modi Government has ruined the state. They have cheated and divided the people. The time has come to take back the power from such people.”

Lauding the role of the womenfolk of the state in general and Anand in specific, she said, "Women of Anand have done a lot for the nation and they are respected throughout the country. They have turned the fortunes with the white revolution."

Revealing the women oriented schemes of the UPA Government, Sonia said, “Rajiv Gandhi took several initiatives for the betterment of the womenfolk. Following this tradition of the party the UPA Government has also implemented several schemes for the upliftment, security and economic freedom of the women.”

“The Congress party gave the nation its first women President," she added.

The electoral process for the 12th Gujarat State Assembly will begin from November 15, and state electorate will cast their votes on December 11 and 16.

Counting of votes for the 182-member Gujarat assembly will take place on December 23.

The Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win 127 seats, while the Congress party was able to win only 51 seats in the 2002 Gujarat assembly polls. The Janata Dal (United) and independents won two seats each. (ANI)