In an obvious bid to recast the tarnished face of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday chose to pass the buck to the Opposition for entry of "criminals" in her party.
Close on the heels of her recent decision to expel some 500 activists from the party essentially on account of their criminal antecedents, she told a press conference Sunday morning that she would soon completely rid the party of all criminal element.
"We are preparing a list of people with criminal background who have managed to seek entry into our party; we will soon show them the door," said Mayawati, while claiming that she had been ignorant about their unlawful activities.
"It was during the preparation for our party rally on March 15 that I came to know that a number of people with criminal past had infiltrated into our party," she said, while adding, "I have reason to believe that it was the handiwork of some Opposition parties with the sole intent of sullying the image our party."
She said, "I promptly ordered identification of such persons and took the decision to rid the party of such element as BSP has no room for criminals."
Significantly, however, she declined to disclose the list of such identified persons. And she parried pointed queries whether the list would include prominent leaders of the party, who were even holding key positions including that of minister.
"I cannot give you the list of names as of now, but let me assure you that none with criminal background would be spared at any cost," she said.
This exercise commenced on April 16, when Mayawati announced the expulsion of dreaded mafia don Mukhtar Ansari, who she had even fielded as the party nominee for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat at the last general election, which he lost.
Together with him, she also expelled Ansari's elder brother Afzal Ansari, a former Lok Sabha member as well as cousin Sibtain Ullah Ansari , a MLA, who had switched loyalties from Samajwadi Party.
