New Delhi: ‘Dalit ki Beti’ Mayawati is known for her out-of-the-box politics — be it striking a unique Dalit-Brahmin-Muslim formula to sweep the 2007 Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly election or installing statues of Dalit leaders, including her own, across the state in an attempt to leave a lasting impression on the voter’s psyche.
So, it was no surprise when an RTI query by DNA revealed that her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bucked the trend and added around Rs12 crore to its coffers during the 2009 LS polls.
Normally, parties end up with lighter pockets after polls as they go all out to win.
On March 2 last year, when the election commission (EC) announced the poll, BSP officially had Rs188.18 crore, making it one of the richest parties in the country.
According to an affidavit submitted to EC, the party received Rs33.16 crore in donations during the nearly one-month-long poll process. BSP claims it spent only about Rs21.23 crore on the election and ended up richer by Rs11.93 crore after it, an unusual phenomenon and a reflection of Mayawati’s unique style of politics in which candidates have to spend their own money. For more information please click here
