Akhilesh Yadav wastes lakhs but Maya still holds the record

New Delhi, July 16: Compared to Mayawati's opulence, Akhilesh Yadav's indulgence can be termed as small diversion. Though wasteful expenditure cannot be condoned, there are some details about these politicians that need to go beyond RTI disclosures.

Within a year of coming to power Chief Minister Akhilesh has spent Rs 43.50 lakh to renovate the official residence of the chief minister.

The official residence of Uttar Pradesh chief minister is at 5, Kalidas Marg, Lucknow, and it has always be showered with funds for remodeling or renovation.

Akhilesh's 43 against Mayawati's 23

Mayawati, who stayed here for few years (2007-11) spent about Rs 23 lakh for redoing the residence. This amount may seem less if one takes into account the bill run by Akhilesh (Rs 43.50 lakh). But the real spending by Mayawati is somewhere else. And the bill ran into crores.

Till July 2011, Mayawati had occupied Kalidas Marg house. But she suddenly shifted to her personal residence on Mall Avenue in August 2011.

Mayawati renovates her own lucky residence

She moved to this house as it bears house number as 13, Mall Avenue. Mayawati has a fetish for 13, which she considers very lucky. Mayawati had taken oath on May 13, 2007, along with 13 ministers at 13 hours.

But, what could not prove lucky for her was also not lucky for the people of Uttar Pradesh.

It was revealed last year in an RTI query that Mayawati made the government spend over Rs 86 crore of public money to renovate her bungalow.

Pink palace

The house is built on 5 acres of prime land in Lucknow's Mall Avenue and is guarded by 20-feet-tall walls made of sandstone from Rajasthan.

All rooms in the house have pink Italian marble flooring in keeping with Maya's fondness for pink stone.

The renovation of this personal bungalow was clubbed with the building of parks and memorials erected in memory of Dalit icons in Uttar Pradesh.

In sum, Mayawati still holds the dubious record in bungalow renovation.

OneIndia News