Mayawati fumes after EC squad finds Rs 1 lakh in her bag

GULBARGA: A flying squad of the Election Commission on Saturday found Rs 1 lakh in cash from BSP leader Mayawati's bag as she arrived here for two-day campaigning.

EC officials subjected her to two checks in quick succession, following which the angry leader hit out. "Have you checked Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj's car when they came for campaigning? You're searching me because I'm a Dalit woman," she said.

As soon as Mayawati's chopper landed at a helipad on the outskirts of Jewargi, 550km north of Bangalore, the EC's flying squad swooped down for an inspection. After discovering Rs 1 lakh in cash, they questioned her. But officials chose not to seize it after she explained that it belonged to her supporters who accompanied her in the helicopter and that each person was entitled to carry Rs 50,000.

As she was climbing the dais for her party's public meeting in Jewargi, the squad again searched Mayawati and her car. She gave them a piece of her mind in her campaign speech, wondering what was the need to search her again.

Gulbarga deputy commissioner KJ Jagadish said the squad recorded the search and he'd send a report to the EC.

Sushma Swaraj, who was in Hubli, was subjected to a check but reacted differently. She tweeted: "Just landed in Hubli, EC officials checked helicopter and baggage. I welcome this."