CBI, a thread that ties UP top guns

SHARING A TAINTED PAST: (From L) Kalyan, Mayawati and Mulayam are facing CBI probes.

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Keywords: assembly elections 2007, uttar pradesh

Lucknow: What is common between Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and Kalyan Singh – the three top guns in UP poll field?

Apart from being the state’s chief ministerial candidates, the trio also shares a tainted reputation in common.

The undisputed Dalit leader of Uttar Pradesh, the current CM with a strong Yadav-Muslim support and the backward face of the Bharatiya Janata Party have ruled Uttar Pradesh post the Mandal Commission uprising of the 1990s - Mayawati and Mulayam thrice each and Kalyan Singh twice.

In battleground 2007, all three of them are facing CBI probe.

While, Mayawati faces probe in the 17 crore rupee Taj Corridor case, Mulayam is under the CBI scanner in a disproportionate assets case. Kalyan Singh, on the other hand, faces trial in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

"This is an irony of the state, all the three contenders for CM face CBI probe,” laments journalists Sharat Pradhan.

Though all three claim innocence, it's really a tough choice for voters in Uttar Pradesh with tall electoral promises being made by the parties of these very leaders.

There’s more irony. BJP, whose main poll agenda was Ram Mandir in 2002 Assembly Elections, now talks of minority appeasement.

While Mulayam’s SP – accused of providing arms to university students - talks of removing Goonda Raj from UP, Mayawati – facing many corruption charges – says she would root out corruption if she is voted back to power.