The Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh now have a problem with the statues of UP chief minister Mayawati and the elephant (BSP symbol) installed in various parks and memorials in Lucknow and Noida.
Leader of Opposition and senior Samajwadi leader Shivpal Singh Yadav told this correspondent, “Elephants, which are also the BSP symbol, have been installed in all parks and memorials which also have the statues of chief minister Mayawati. These are a constant reminder of the BSP and promote the party and its leader. What is even more objectionable is the fact that government money has been spent in them which means that the BSP is getting free publicity through government money. The Election Commission must take cognisance of this and get them removed.”
BJP spokesman Hriday Narain Dixit said that if the Election Commission could get hoardings with Ms Mayawati’s photographs removed because it is considered publicity material, what is stopping the EC from applying the same rule to her statues.
“If statues are not covered in the model code of conduct then every candidate can get his statues erected before the election and use them to publicise his candidature. The chief minister’s statues amount to publicity of the BSP and no one can deny this.
Mr Munna Singh Chauhan, senior RLD leader echoed similar sentiments when he said that the Election Commission should not differentiate between hoardings and statues if it genuinely wanted to give a level-playing field to all parties.