Lucknow: In an attempt to refurbish her
government and party's image ahead of the assembly election,
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday
sacked two more ministers.
The two are minister of State for Renewable Energy
Akbar Hussain and minister of State for Science and Technology
Yashpal Singh.
No reason has been cited for their removal but sources
in the Chief Minister's office said the two were neglecting
their constituencies.
Both were also denied party tickets for contesting the
upcoming assembly election.
"In consultations with the Chief Minister, the Governor
has removed Akbar Hussain and Yashpal Singh from their posts,"
a government notification said.
With their dismissal, the number of ministers sacked
by Mayawati, who is under attack from the Opposition over
corruption charges, in the recent past has risen to 11.
On December 25, the Chief Minister axed four ministers
facing graft charges in another clean-up act, a day after the
Assembly poll schedule for the state was announced.
They were Higher Education Minister Rakeshdhar Tripathi,
Agriculture, Education and Research minister Rajpal Tyagi,
Minister of State for Backward Welfare (Independent charge)
Awdhesh Verma and Minister of State for Home Guard Hari Om.
Earlier, Mayawati has removed five tainted ministers on
the recommendation of the Lokayukta.
They were Ratan Lal Ahirwar, Rajesh Tripathi, Awadhpal
Singh, Badshah Singh and Rangnath Mishra.
The state will go to polls spread over seven phases
from February 4 to February 28.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 22:00