If Mayawati wanted a political memorial she got one. Whether it will inspire people and not be considered an eye-sore is quite another. The people who will decide to patronize the park by taking their morning walks or bringing their children, will ultimately tune out the political insignia so generously constructed through expensive marble. Soon the park, walking paths and greenery will overshadow the tall structures of Mayawati, Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and elephants. At least, that's how one imagines what will transpire in the course of time. Either way, surely there are more imaginative and generous ways to be remembered than constructing a park that certainly did not warrant Rs 305 crore short of Rs 1,000 crore. 

1. Mayawatiji, your state is still very poor in large areas. Imagine what a few thousand rupees in aid or job opportunities could have done to thousands of poor people.

2. Every time a person dies of malnutrition or disease because of lack of medical help or help that can't be accessed due to distance or the money involved - that person can lay the blame squarely on your shoulders.

3. If you wanted to impress the middle and upper castes in Noida and expand your vote bank, there's a long laundry list that people of Noida have - unticked for many years. Please check with the 'baraat' of Noida Commissioners that you appoint and shunt out.

4. Take a leaf from Akbar's book, and disguise yourself to spend a day in any small or large city in Uttar Pradesh. You will realize that your inner circle of so-called loyalists have been filling your ears with only what you want to hear. Yes, fear, fear of you, is also something that they don't want to tell you about. So, get rid of your coterie and spend money on good talent. The civil society in Uttar Pradesh has outstanding talent - if Nandan Nilekani can be personally brought in by the Prime Minister to handle the UID programme, then so can you, to make them head key projects that improve the quality of life of crores of people in one of the poorest states of the country.

5. You want to play vote bank politics? Please do - but don't single out Dalits: single out inclusive development - irrespective of caste. The almost Rs 700 crores you have splashed on Ambedkar Park could have been put to use in starting half a dozen IT and Knowledge Parks. Imagine how memorable that could have been. People entering these parks would have saluted you.

6. You are a woman. Why not use your God-gifted gender advantages? Of course, one assumes that you do possess the clichéd but true gifts. Be compassionate. The crores that you have stashed away from people and government coffers will come across as more well-spent if they are on hospitals, schools, colleges, and civic infrastructure. Please don't forget women technically constitute 50 per cent of your vote bank – or for that matter any politicians’. Don't wait for the Women's Reservation Bill, give tickets to women candidates.

7. And what’s with the army of Black Cat Commandoes? Your vote bank will kill you sooner than your conspiracies and political murderers. Honest work is the best form of self-defence and it’s definitely the cheapest. We are tired of seeing truck full of expensively-trained security guards tagging along your kurta and duppatta.