Mayawati's decision to divide UP is vote bank politics: Advani

"The first chance to change the government is with the people of Uttar Pradesh where corruption is no less than corruption at the Centre. Otherwise all of a sudden they would not have said things like division of Uttar Pradesh in to four states, so that such issues rescue them in elections," Advani said addressing a rally here.

"The creation of new states is a serious matter. Even after the formation of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh is a big state but how it should be divided should be done with consensus and seriousness. It should not be done hurriedly and definitely not because of vote bank compulsions," Advani added.

In the context of the upcoming UP assembly polls, Advani also had words of advice for his own partymen.

"A lot depends on how careful the party is in selecting the candidates. There should be no scope for corruption and criminalisation. Attempt should also be made to avoid party hoppers who rush to seek tickets," he said.

The 2012 Uttar Pradesh polls would be crucial for the future of the country, Advani said.
Advani also continued his attacks on the UPA government on the corruption issue, claiming that it was damaging the image of the country.

"Whoever reads the newspapers whether in Hindu, Urdu, or any other English...the primary issue always is corruption. When I went to Kerala where people earn a lot of foreign exchange by working in the Gulf region, people tell me that employment abroad is getting affected because of the perception that India is a corrupt country," he said.

The BJP leader's Jan Chetna yatra is slated to culminate in Delhi on Sunday where party leaders claim that they would stage a massive rally.