Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Mayawati a mere drama: BJP

Dismissing Rahul Gandhi's criticism of corruption in Mayawati government as a "drama", BJP Saturday challenged the Congress leader to get an inquiry initiated against the ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh.

"It would be better if Rahul, instead of indulging in drama saying elephant in Lucknow is eating away funds in UP, get an inquiry initiated against the Mayawati government on corruption charges," BJP national secretary Kirit Somaiya told reporters here.

In an apparent reference to the ruling BSP, Rahul had recently said in a poll rally that an "elephant" in Lucknow was eating away all the money sent by the Centre for the poor in Uttar Pradesh.

Somaiya said if Rahul was unable to get an inquiry conducted against the Mayawati government for corruption, "he should honestly accept that Congress and BSP have a political understanding between them".

The BJP leader also criticised state Cabinet Secretary Shashankh Shekhar Singh, who had yesterday released a white paper of Uttar Pradesh government on functioning of 24 key departments, saying, "He is an official and should therefore keep himself away from political matters."

"It is not right for an official to conduct press conferences on behalf of the chief minister to give clarifications," he said.