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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati being garlanded with currency notes during a rally organised on the occasion of BSP's silver jubliee and Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary in Lucknow on Monday. Photo: Subir Roy
The multi-crore garland was just a small part of the extravagant Rs 200 crore celebrations that marked the BSP's 25th anniversary, and its founder Kanshi Ram's birthday, with a massive rally in Lucknow.
But Mayawati could be in trouble over the multi-crore garland with the Opposition asking questions where did it come from.
Was the garland just an expression of BSP supporters' love or was it the tax payers' money?
The Congress and the Samajwadi Party are demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the expenses incurred during the rally.
FTN: Mayawati still not a national leader
Pics: Maya adorned with multicrore garland
"Mayawati loves money. Therefore she only wants people to give her money," said Congress leaders Akhilesh Pratap Singh.
Now there is an all out war within the BSP to claim credit for presenting the weighty garland.
Initially some leaders said that it was the Karnataka unit of the party which was behind the multi-crore present.
But now Mayawati's right hand man and PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui is claiming that it was the Lucknow unit which gave the money.
"It was not the Karnataka unit. This was just a spontaneous expression of love from the people," said Karnataka BSP President YN Sharma.
But the BSP supremo has created another controversy after a swarm of bees were seen hovering around her at the rally. She has ordered an inquiry into what she considers to be a conspiracy to disrupt the proceedings.
Till last year Mayawati used to celebrate her birthday as an occasion to collect funds for her party. She stopped the practice this year but the dazzling affair in Lucknow costing more than Rs 200 crore as alleged by the Opposition has made it clear that money and Maywati are still a closely knit family.
But the question that remains unanswered is how can the UP Chief Minister justify such a huge expenditure after UP government came out with an official statement that they didn't have money to pay victims of Pratapgarh stampede.