No raising funds on my b'day: Maya tells Partymen

Lucknow, Aug 28: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday, Aug 27, told her party members to discontinue collecting funds for her birthday celebrations.

Addressing the concluding session of her two-day party national executive meet, she said, "The practice of fund collection on my birthday is being done away with and there should be no raising of funds for my next birthday."

Her birthday, on Jan 15, was significantly described as arthik sahyog diwas (economic contribution day).

Sources said that the announcement would be a big relief for traders, government officers and public at large as there were numerous complaints of a section of BSP leaders indulging in extortion in the name of donation for party.

In fact, on Dec 24, 2008, Manoj Gupta, an executive engineer in the public works department, was allegedly murdered for refusing to pay money in the name of donation when asked by Shekhar Tiwari, BSP MLA from Auraiya.

In order to build up the party funds, Mayawati announced a hike in the membership fee from Rs 20 to Rs 40 and declared the launch of a special membership drive from Jan 1 to Mar 31, 2010.

OneIndia News