Lucknow:
Mayawati spent 86 crores of taxpayers' money to renovate a home in Lucknow, according to details shared in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application.
The home in question occupies five acres of prime land in Uttar Pradesh's capital. This was not the politician's official residence for most of her term as Chief Minister. It was given to her when she was Leader of the Opposition in the mid-1990s. During her years as Chief Minister, she spent lavishly on upgrading the home. It includes a bullet-proof verandah, a huge statue of herself and the party's symbol the elephant, massive granite walls, and a 14-room guesthouse.
Mayawati moved into this house because she believed it was lucky for her a few months before the recent elections. She was proven wrong - she lost heavily to the Samajwadi Party.
Details of her extreme home improvement were sought by Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav who filed a Right to Information (RTI) request before his party was elected to power.
Mr Yadav, who now has charge of the Public Works Ministry, has ordered an inquiry to determine how the money was released to Mayawati.