According to the Punjab election watch and civil society organisations association for democratic reforms, some 92 candidates running in the Punjab elections have never filed their income tax returns.

Among these is Karan Kaur Brar who is seen as the richest candidate whose movable and immovable assets are over Rs.128 crore and who is contesting from Muktsar, is one of the super rich who are at fault. Two others named are Ramanjit Singh Sikki, the Congress candidate contesting from Khadoor Sahib and Gurpartap Singh Wadala of SAD, contesting from Nakodar, both have assets of Rs.20.12 crore and Rs.13.71 crore respectively.

Of the 92 candidates, Congress has 15, SAD has 11, the PPP has 20, the BSP has 27 and the BJP has 1 all of whom have been delinquent in filing income tax returns.

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UP Chief Minister Mayawati sacked Minister of small scale industry Chandradev Ram Yadav who was indicted by the Lokayukta for corruption. Investigations found that among other charges, Yadav was drawing two salaries for the last five years, one as minister and the other as principal of a government aided school.

In Mayawati's term thus far, 26 ministers have been sacked, 12 of them on charges of corruption, 3 for figuring in criminal cases and 11 on charges of non-performance and neglecting their duty.

It is generally felt that the CM wants to improve her image and ratings ahead of the state elections.

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Data released by an election watchdog shows that in the poll-bound states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur, a third of the 100 ministers have criminal charges pending against them.

Uttar Pradesh has 46 percent, of which 30 percent have criminal cases like murder and attempted murder pending against them.

Punjab has 39 percent, followed by Uttarakhand and Goa. By contrast, in Manipur no criminal cases are pending against any minister.

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The BJP has welcomed into its fold Mayawati's ministerial discards, including National Rural Health Mission scam suspect and chief minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, evoking mixed reactions in the party circle.

The move is expected to bump up the BJP's vote bank among the backward community, however more practical voices in the state unit are shocked by the glaring slip made in the time of Anna Hazare.

Some BJP leaders have chosen to remain tight-lipped, others feebly blame Mayawati, saying the money from the corruption coffers in fact went to her.

Apart from Kushwaha, another tainted colleague, former labour minister Badshah Singh has also joined the BJP. He is said to be the mafia don who was recently indicted for grabbing land as well as other charges and was sacked from the cabinet and the BSP.

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West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee stormed a Kolkata police station and ordered the release of two of her party members who were arrested for rioting.

The party members were allegedly involved in a brawl and eyewitnesses claimed that they burned firecrackers in front of the Chittaranjan Cancer Research Institute. They also played loud music and when police asked them to desist they refused and caused a traffic snarl, flaunting their political connections. In the fracas they attacked policemen, ransacked vehicles and staged a roadblock.

Some dozen police were injured and no arrests were made in the incident that led to Mamata rushing to the spot to pacify the crowd.

Of course the perpetraters denied any part in the incident and challenged allegations.

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