By IANS
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, who disclosed her assets at Rs.52 crore (Rs.520 million) this week, Wednesday said "each penny" was accounted for.
"Each penny is accounted for and explained before income-tax authorities," Mayawati told a press conference here.
She revealed her assets in an affidavit filed Monday along with her nomination papers for contesting a Vidhan Parishad seat.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader said the bulk of her assets were acquired over the past three years as "gifts" from party workers.
She also disclosed her close confidant Satish Chandra Mishra, is to quit as minister without portfolio in the state government in order to help establish the ruling party more firmly among upper castes across India.
"Misra was reluctant to take up a minister's position because he was aware of the larger role I have assigned him – to carry out our future mission of establishing the party's credentials with the upper castes in different states of the country," Mayawati said.
"Misra will resign in the next two-and-a-half months to undertake that mission – and I am making his declaration here today so that you all do not start giving your own imaginary attributes to his resignation then," she said.
Mayawati's surprise disclosure and rebuke to the press came as she strongly defended the appointment of several relatives and associates of Misra to key positions in the BSP government.
"If Misra's relatives have been appointed in various positions, it was not on his recommendation, but in recognition of the services rendered by him and his dedication towards the party," the chief minister declared.
Misra is thought to be the architect of the BSP's victory last month in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, but has come under a cloud after a television channel Tuesday listed his relatives who have been appointed in the new government.
They include his sister Abha Agnihotri as chairperson of the state women's commission and cousin Ankit Kumar Misra as health minister – even though he lost the election from Kanpur.