Bhopal, May 18: Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Suresh Pachouri said that the corruption would be the prime issue in the next Assembly polls. While addressing a public meeting here last night, Pachouri alleged that in the state corruption was at pinnacle as state government and BJP leaders had been embroiled in it as a consequence ruling party had to pay for it in the next Assembly polls.

Refuting the state government's allegation for 'step motherly attitude' adopted by Centre towards the state, the former union minister said that it did not hold any water. ''Centre has increased the aid four times in last five years,'' he said, adding that despite that state government failed in its optimum utilisation.

Pachouri said that the state government had been falsely claiming of high development in the state but in reality the state's development rate was 4.8 per cent against the targeted 7.4 per cent. MPCC Vice President Balkavi Bairagi, Organisational Secretary Govind Rajput and former minister Viththal Bhai Patel also addressed the meeting.

Ojha for woman chief minister in MP

Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress President Shobha Ojha today said that the state should have a woman chief minister. Talking to the reporters at Indore, she referred leader of opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Jamuna Devi as appropriate Congress woman leader for the post of chief minister as the latter served the post of deputy chief minister for a considerable long time.

''Congress gave the country's first woman Prime Minister and it will also give the state its first chief minister,'' Ms Ojha said. She said that the party female members would carry out a 'Janakrosh rally' against the anti-people policies of BJP-led state government on May 20 and points like corruption, roads, water, electricity escalating crime rat, atrocities towards women and weaker sections of the society and misuse of funds provided by the Centre will be raised in the rally.

Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee President Suresh Pachouri and All India Mahila Congress President Prabha Thakur would also take part.