Nalhati (West Bengal), April 20 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday had a word of praise for Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee even as she questioned the use of central funds by the state's Left Front government.

"The central government had sent thousands of crores of rupees for the benefit of the masses of Bengal," Gandhi said addressing an election rally in Nalhati in Birbhum district that goes to the polls Saturday.

"A lot of funds have been sent to the state government under various developmental policies. It is a matter of surprise and grief that the effect of this money and funds are seen nowhere in the state.

"So automatically questions are being raised about how and where this money has been used by the Left Front government. Who is responsible for the bad condition of the state?

"The Left Front is totally responsible for this bad condition. There is so much poverty and unemployment in this state."

Gandhi was campaigning for Congress candidate Avijit Mukherjee, son of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Nalhati is over 225 km from Kolkata by rail.

Gandhi praised Railway Minister Banerjee for supporting the policies taken up by the Untied Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

"Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee have always supported the policies of the UPA-2 government, taken up for the betterment of the country and people. Both Trinamool and Congress have vowed to fight together in the state to free the state from the misrule of the Left Front," said Gandhi.

"I request the people of the state to remember while voting that they should defeat the Left Front this time as it had only made false promises for 34 years. The people will give a befitting reply to this misrule and open new routes of development of the state."

This is the second round of campaigning by Gandhi in the state, which is holding six-phased assembly polls from April 18 to May 10.