For the sake of a level playing field in Uttar Pradesh

But the draping that is to happen today was preceded by much drama on Sunday. When officials from the departments that had built the statues came to mask them as per the poll panel's directives, it realised that it didn't have enough sheets to cover them. In all, nearly 100 statues have to be covered in Lucknow and Noida.

It didn't end there. Soon, realisation dawned upon the authorities that that the Election Commission was yet to send an official order for covering the statues. So the covers came off. But, the Lucknow District Magistrate had said on Sunday evening that they had received the order and it would be implemented from Monday onwards.

This is in reference to the recent Election Commission order to cover all Mayawati's statues and also those of her election symbol, the elephant - which thanks to her extravagant construction spree, are omnipresent in Lucknow and Noida - so that Mayawati and her party dont get any undue advantage in the upcoming state elections.