Varanasi/New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS): Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said that Uttar Pradesh, facing years of exploitation, needs experienced leadership to improve the condition of people which can only be provided by her party's chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit.

In her concluding remarks after her roadshow in Varanasi, which she had to discontinue midway due to ill-health, she expressed hope that Congress will form a government in Uttar Pradesh after the next assembly polls due early next year.

"Our party will fight the polls to end exploitation in the state of 27 years and to improve conditions of people. Each worker will put in his best," she said. The concluding remarks were released by the Congress office in New Delhi late Tuesday evening.

Gandhi regretted that due to ill health, she could not complete her engagements in Varanasi, which included a visit to the historic Kashi Vishwanath temple and promised that she would return “very soon” to visit the temple.

“Uttar Pradesh has seen governments of several parties in the last 27 years, which garnered votes through the politics of caste and communalism. The state which used to be a well-developed state once has been left far behind in development due to such politics.

“Uttar Pradesh needs a government of development, of experience which only Congress and Sheila Dikshit can provide,” Gandhi said.

She branded the Narendra Modi government as the “government for a select few, rich industrialists” which was constantly neglecting the poor, the marginalised and the minorities.

“A large section of population today is feeling deprived and left out and is worried about their future. The house built on the foundation of lies and deceit would not last long,” she said.