IANS/Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has sacked 10 ministers in as many days which analysts say is an image make-over exercise by the Dalit leader ahead of state assembly elections next month.Earlier too, Mayawati had shown the door to nearly 15 ministers for different reasons, but those sacked now had corruption charges against them.“The chief minister decided to drop some ministers over the recent past essentially because of their alleged involvement in irregularities, including misuse of office for their personal gains,” said a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, who preferred not to be named. Some of these ministers were also indicted by the state Lokayukta for their involvement in corrupt activities and Mayawati’s prompt action against them was clearly aimed at sending the message around that she was a “no-nonsense” chief minister. “The chief minister does not believe in sparing anyone - no matter how high or mighty - once he is found to be guilty of committing irregularities particularly in financial matters,” said the leader, adding: “This was the reason behind the sacking of most of the ministers over the recent past.”While the image-building exercise was being masterminded by a Delhi-based advertisement and marketing company, the action against the ministers also followed complaints from people living in their respective constituencies.Reports received from BSP co-ordinators from different regions initially prompted Mayawati to first refuse party tickets to these ministers from their respective constituencies. “Further inquiries revealed that these ministers had also been misusing their offices for their personal gains and for benefiting their relatives. Some of them had also started indulging in anti-party activities by hobnobbing with rival political parties, therefore action became imminent against them,” the BSP leader added.Asked why the corrupt activities of these ministers were ignored over the past five years, the leader shot back: “Action could be taken only after the chief minister came to know about their activities.”One of the sacked ministers, accused of corruption, however, claimed that the action was just a “sham to give the impression that this chief minister believes in clean governance, when the whole world knows how many scams she is herself involved in.”Fateh Bahadur Singh, another minster fired recently, asked: “If corruption was really an issue with Mayawati, why was the most corrupt minster entrusted with as many as 18 portfolios?” He was making an indirect reference to Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who was not only handling the state’s most lucrative ministries but was also facing a probe by the Lokayukta. Former BSP general secretary Naresh Agarwal, who recently switched loyalties to the Samajwadi Party, said: “All the action against ministers was just an eyewash to impress the people of the state that she was ready to sacrifice even her close ones if they were found guilty of corrupt practices.” He, however, wondered how many people would buy this. “Who does not know that Mayawati and corruption are inseparable? The voter is not a fool and can clearly see through her game,” Agarwal said.