June 27, 2007
Each Penny of My Assets Accounted For: Mayawati
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, who disclosed her assets at
Rs.52 crore (Rs.520 million) this week, Wednesday said "each penny"
was accounted for.
"Each penny is accounted for and explained before income-tax
authorities," Mayawati told a press conference here.
She revealed her assets in an affidavit filed Monday along with her
nomination papers for contesting a Vidhan Parishad seat.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader said the bulk of her assets
were acquired over the past three years as "gifts" from party
workers.
She also disclosed her close confidant Satish Chandra Mishra, is to
quit as minister without portfolio in the state government in order
to help establish the ruling party more firmly among upper castes
across India.
"Misra was reluctant to take up a minister's position because he was
aware of the larger role I have assigned him - to carry out our
future mission of establishing the party's credentials with the
upper castes in different states of the country," Mayawati said.
"Misra will resign in the next two-and-a-half months to undertake
that mission - and I am making his declaration here today so that
you all do not start giving your own imaginary attributes to his
resignation then," she said.
Mayawati's surprise disclosure and rebuke to the press came as she
strongly defended the appointment of several relatives and
associates of Misra to key positions in the BSP government.
"If Misra's relatives have been appointed in various positions, it
was not on his recommendation, but in recognition of the services
rendered by him and his dedication towards the party," the chief
minister declared.
Misra is thought to be the architect of the BSP's victory last month
in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, but has come under a cloud
after a television channel Tuesday listed his relatives who have
been appointed in the new government.
They include his sister Abha Agnihotri as chairperson of the state
women's commission and cousin Ankit Kumar Misra as health minister -
even though he lost the election from Kanpur.
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