Mayawati’s announcement of the initiation of several projects has left the BJP -- the ruling party in Kanpur Nagar Nigam (KNN) — flummoxed. The projects, the party says, have already been started or are on the verge of completion.

Terming her claims a political gimmick, BJP Mayor Ravindra Patni said he was stunned by her efforts to take credit even for projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Equally shocking has been the fact that Mayawati laid the foundation for several roads which have already been constructed by the civic body.

Patni told The Indian Express: “Sewerage Phase 1, Solid Waste Management, Kanpur Jal Sampurti Phase-2 and Sewerage Phase-2 are under the

JNNURM, been started a year ago by the Nagar Nigam.” As the civic boy has been appointed the nodal agency in Kanpur, one fails to understand how the CM can taking credit, he said.

“We have laid 7.5 km pipelines under the Rs 232.70 crore Sewerage Phase II project, but the CM has now announced its beginning,” Patni said. The KNN has also completed 75 per cent of the construction of overhead and underground tanks under the Kanpur Rs 270-crore Jal Samuprti Phase-2 project.

The state government, he pointed out, was the smallest contributor in JNNURM projects, with a share of only 20 per cent of the cost. “The credit should either go to the Centre or the ruling party in the local body, which contributes 30 per cent,” he said.

Coming down hard on the bureaucracy, he said the administrative officials are equally responsible and there was a lack of coordination. “Before the visit of President Pratibha Patil to Kanpur on September 24, 2008, the Nagar Nigam had constructed a road between Swaroop Nagar and Narendra Mohan overbridge. But the CM has claimed to begin the construction of the same,” he added.

There’s more. “Though the CM has announced the start of the road construction between GT Road and Zoo, the project has already been completed by KNN.” Also, the civic body has constructed part of the road between Mall Road and Barra.

The flagging off the construction of 17 arterial roads in the city was another surprise. “These roads are to be built by PWD and the tender for the project is yet to be opened,” he said.