Dadraul, Uttar Pradesh:
Uttar Pradesh is in election mode, which means it's a cruel world out there for politicians. Mayawati, who is hoping to be re-elected as Chief Minister, is proving to be a tough boss to please. In the last two months, she has sacked 16 ministers. And more than 50 of her MLAs have not been given tickets for the elections.
Among them is Avdhesh Kumar Verma, among the ministers given the pink slip recently for being a non-performer.
Mr Verma broke down as he discussed his unceremonious dismissal. At a rally in Shahjahanpur, he wept uncontrollably as the cameras rolled. He says that since Mayawati has not permitted him to contest the election from his constituency of Dadraul in central UP, he will offer his services to the people as an independent candidate.
"Someone who I treated like a parent is punishing me without even letting me know what I have done wrong," he sobbed.