Feature: ‘I am hopeful about Mayawati’

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Lucknow, January 21:: a population of about 170 million.

"If you are chief minister you must be the biggest fool on earth if you have no prime ministerial ambitions," Singh said.

CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS

So far, graft accusations and charges she misspent millions of dollars have done little to dent her popularity in what is widely seen as one of India's most corrupt and lawless states and where the average inhabitant earns half the national average.

She has already faced probes over her personal wealth as well as over a plan to build a shopping mall next to the Taj Mahal.

Now Mayawati is building a $100 million park in Lucknow in honour of her party's founder. Other statues of her abound.

Business Standard newspaper, quoting finance ministry officials, said her income last year was around $15 million, based on paid taxes, putting her on par with top Bollywood stars.

"She has become very ambitious ... power drunk," said Times of India Uttar Pradesh editor Atul Chandra.

On her birthday, an opposition activist burnt himself alive to protest "the death of democracy" in Uttar Pradesh in a sign critics say of how her divisive politics could spark violence.

Her political momentum contrasts with a lacklustre Sonia Gandhi, whose Congress party has suffered in state elections and who has only managed to draw smallish and unenthusiastic crowds.

Mayawati's relative youth -- at 52 she is much younger than many top Indian politicians -- has added to her freshness. In a sign of her influence, even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rang her up while on a trip to China to wish her happy birthday.

Her state win was the first time in nearly two decades a party has won an outright majority. That means she can stay in office for a full five-year term, giving her time and funds to propel her party onto the national stage.

One of nine children, Mayawati managed to study law and become a teacher through a government quota scheme for Dalits before being mentored by the BSP's founder.

Even her critics say she is a good administrator who has appointed technocrats to powerful posts and helped reduce crime.

"To understand her you have to understand she came from absolutely nothing. She really was a nobody," said Chandra.

Dalits still face huge discrimination. Often living in shacks, many are still not allowed to collect water or pray at the same temple as other higher castes.