Claiming that the installed statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati in Lucknow could influence voters,BJP said it was a "clear case" of violation of the model code of conduct and the Election Commission should take note of it. "The installation of statues of Chief Minister Mayawati along with statues of elephants,which is BSP's election symbol,is a clear case of violation of model code of Conduct as it could influence voters. We demand the Election Commission take note of this and take appropriate action," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in New Delhi. He said as per EC directives,portraits of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister should be removed from public premises as it can influence voters during elections. "Mayawati is the CM of Uttar Pradesh and also heads BSP. Even if her portraits are removed ahead of elections,her statues and that of the elephants will remain," he added. He claimed that ideally the statues should also be removed ahead of elections when the model code of conduct is enforced. Taking a jibe at Mayawati,Prasad said "this has never happened in a democracy that a living leader's statues have been erected. Only Saddam Hussain had done such a thing in Iraq". He,however,said BJP was not against installation of statues of leaders like B R Ambedkar.
