Lucknow, Feb 1: Slamming the Mayawati government for "inefficient implementation of centrally funded developmental programmes", Congress president Sonia Gandhi began her campaign for the Uttar Pradesh polls Wednesday.

Speaking at a rally in Gonda town, Gandhi said though the UPA government provided more than Rs.1 lakh crore in developmental funds to Uttar Pradesh in recent years, it had not reached the poor because of an "inept" state administration.

Asking people to vote the Congress to power in the state, Gandhi said: "Then we will have a government of the common people and the poor." 

Congress has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh since 1989. The state will see seven-phased polls from Feb 8 to March 3. Votes will be counted March 6.