Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu), June 29 Union Home Minister P. Chidamabaram has severely criticized Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for constructing and inaugurating statues of her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) symbol - the elephant-of herself and of Dalit leaders of yore.

Speaking at a thanksgiving function organized here to felicitate him on his election to parliament and to thank voters for their support, Chidambaram said the Rs.1000 crore spent on constructing the statues could have been used to provide basic amenities to the people, as also for education of the masses.

He said that the 2009 general elections had proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that caste-based politics as practiced by leaders in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar was not welcome and had been summarily rejected by the electorate.

Modern-day politics, he said, had no room for caste-based politics practiced by parties like the Pattali Makkal Kachhi (PMK).

He called on the people to evaluate the performance of the UPA Government, and if they found it wanting, they should "hammer it out of power" in the next general elections. (ANI)