Lucknow Goes Blue For Chief Minister's Birthday

Monday 14th of January 2008
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's 52nd birthday Tuesday may not witness the usual bash seen on her birthdays in the past but her followers have planned a big fanfare on the occasion across the state.

Unlike her past three stints in office when her birthday functions were openly sponsored by the state government, it was her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) that has been entrusted with the task this time.

The party has ordered a 52-kg cake, to be cut by Mayawati. The party is leaving no stone unturned to ensure as much glitterati on the occasion as was visible in the past.

The state capital is virtually painted in the BSP blue and the skyline is plastered with hundreds of hoardings showering greetings on the chief minister.

Slogans like 'Behen Mayawatiji ke 52-ve janma diwas par hardik badhaiyan' (Hearty congratulations to sister Mayawati on her 52nd birthday) and 'Tum jiyo hazaron saal, saal ke din ho pachas hazaar' (May you leave a thousand years with 50,000 days in each year) are emblazoned on the hoardings.

At a traffic roundabout leading to her official residence, there were as many as 16 hoardings along with a gigantic wooden gate draped in blue with pieces of mirror work to provide the decor.

BSP workers have piggybacked on the hoardings put up by the state information department publicising the state government's achievements. 'We will remove our banners after the birthday,' a party functionary told IANS.

Even the private houses acquired by Mayawati or her party trust have already been illuminated in blue. The Prerna Bhawan, created by Mayawati during her last tenure with the statues of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and herself, has been decorated and illuminated for the occasion.

While party workers propose to hold celebrations at all districts, in Lucknow Mayawati will lay the foundation of her most ambitious dream - the Ganga Expressway - which will run parallel to the historic Grand Trunk Road started by emperor Sher Shah Suri some 600 years ago.

'The chief minister will lay the foundation stone of the 1,000-km project at a special function at her official residence here,' Shailesh Krishna, principal secretary to the chief minister, told IANS.

He said the economic activity generated along the expressway that would witness emergence of new towns and commercial hubs, 'would eventually transform the economy of the state'.

Mayawati also proposes to launch poverty alleviation schemes in view of the starvation deaths in the state's southern Bundelkhand region.

She will also lay the foundation of the Kanshi Ram Awas Yojana meant to provide housing to the poor and the downtrodden. Another housing scheme aimed at promoting modern living will be launched in seven cities.

These announcements would be made at two press conferences to be addressed by the chief minister, one here Tuesday morning and another on Tuesday afternoon in New Delhi.

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