Mayawati, BSP statues to be back in public view from today

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's statues and those of her party's poll symbol, the elephant, will be back in public view from Sunday. The Election Commission has given the Uttar Pradesh administration the go-ahead to uncover the statues.

The statues were draped on January 7 after opposition parties alleged the BSP would have an unfair advantage in the elections because of them. In Lucknow, nine statues of Mayawati and 156 statues of elephants were covered while in Noida, two statues of Mayawati and 52 elephants were draped.

The model code of conduct states that pictures of all candidates on public property must be covered during elections. The same logic apply to statues as well.

They were draped on the January 7 after the opposition alleged BSP will have an unfair advantage in the polls.

The Congress had earlier commented on the issue saying, "The Election Commission takes appropriate steps at appropriate time. The Election Commission is fully alive to a situation like this."

Last year, Mayawati had inaugurated the 33-acre Dalit Prerna Sthal or the Ambedkar Park in Noida. The chief minister reportedly spent Rs 650 crore on the development of the park, which has statues of several Dalit leaders.

The park has 24 pink sandstone elephants, 12 life-size statues of Dr BR Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and the Chief Minister herself.

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