Kishanganj (Bihar), April 16 (IANS): Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said Wednesday the party, if returned to power, will bring 70 crore people into the middle-class over the next five years.

Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi said there was a new class comprising about 70 crore people who were above the poverty line but had an income below that of the middle-class and the party will make special effort for their welfare.

"We will bring 70 crore people into middle class in the next five years," he said.

Gandhi, who was in Bihar as part of his campaign for the Lok Sabha election, said this new class of people includes barbers, small farmers, auto and taxi drivers, security guards, washermen, rickshaw pullers and anganwadi workers.

The Congress had won the Kishanganj seat in 2009.

Gandhi also accused the Nitish Kumar government of not properly implementing the Sachar panel report in Bihar. The report deals with the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in the country.

"It is matter of regret that the report was not implemented properly in Bihar," he said.

He said welfare measures of the United Progressive Alliance government, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), has helped bring 15 crore people above poverty in the last 10 years.