Union minister Kapil Sibal on Friday ridiculed Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati for "remaining ignorant" of corruption by her ministers for full five years and coming to know about it only at election time.

"It is surprising that when the entire country was aware of corruption in her government, she remained ignorant during her full five-year term and today when elections have been announced she has come to know of it," he told reporters in Lucknow.

The HRD minister said the rate at which he has removed 12 ministers, by the time elections are held all the remaining ones might also be sacked on corruption charges and Mayawati might find herself alone in the ministry.

Sibal was here on way to Gorakhpur to participate in a programme but could not proceed due to bad weather.

Terming the BSP government as the most tainted, he said corruption has been made an election issue by the people who had been at the receiving end during the past 20 years by every political permutation and combination in Uttar Pradesh.

The state has got one corrupt government after the other in these 20 years, he said adding people of the state are tired of these parties and have made up their minds to repose faith in the Congress.

Attacking the chief minister, Sibal alleged that one-third of the state's budget has been spent by her on statues while Rs 12 crore has been spent on her own residence.

Though funds were required in drought-prone Bundelkhand region, the money was spent on her statues, he alleged.

Questioning the functioning of the Uttar Pradesh government, Sibal said statistics proved that crime was high in the state while there are around 25 lakh children who do not go to school.

In the list of 39 states, UP is on 29th spot as far as literacy rate is concerned while there are six crore people living below poverty line, he said asking as to what Mayawati has done for dalits and backwards.

Questioning the priorities of the state government, he said out of Rs 31,000 crore given under the 'Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan', the state could spend only Rs 14,000 crore.

He said the state government did not send any proposal under the Model School Scheme of the centre for two successive years - 2009 and 2010 - and alleged that the state has no concern for the children and their future.

The union minister also alleged a "tacit understanding" between the BJP and BSP and cited certain cases to prove his point.

Refuting reporters that some criminals have been given tickets by his party, Sibal said it was wrong and added that Congress cannot be compared with Mayawati and her party.

Union minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal, who was also present, said almost 75 per cent of the central funds have been misused.