Mayavati cuts her birthday cake as Kanshi Ram looks on. Picture by Ramakant Kushwaha

New Delhi, Jan. 15: Mayavati turned 50 today amid song, dance and the release of a 2,200-page book authored by her.

The Bahujan Samaj Party chief’s birthday bashes have always been a talking point. In 2003, Mayavati, then the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, spent more than a crore on her 47th birthday celebration, raising the Opposition’s hackles.

She also created a flutter by collecting hefty sums of cash from party leaders on her birthdays, ostensibly to help poor Dalits. Last year, she declared that January 15 should be observed as Swabhimaan Divas by her supporters.

This time, though, the BSP chief tried to make the bash more “meaningful”. She chose the occasion to release her book ? 2,200 pages on her life and the Bahujan Samaj movement. The book, titled Mere Sangharshmay Jivan Avum Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama (My Life of Struggle and the Journey of the Bahujan Movement), was released by the BSP’s ailing founder Kanshi Ram, who made a rare public appearance.

Kanshi Ram’s family had earlier gone to court to seek his custody, alleging that Mayavati is forcibly keeping him in confinement, a charge she denies.

She also launched a social service outfit, the Bahujan Prerna Trust, for the downtrodden. Party legislators have been asked to generate funds for the trust.

The buzz this time was that Mayavati had asked partymen to send drafts and not cash. Insiders said the rate fixed for collection was Rs 2 lakh for each constituency.

All roads leading to Mayavati’s Humayun Road residence in Lutyen’s Delhi were choked as the BSP rank and file lined up to greet their chief with flowers and sweets. Folk dancers performed in the lawns of her house and her supporters danced the whole day. Flowers were showered on her when Mayavati made her appearance in a pink salwar suit.

A 50-kg cake was cut and elephants ? the animal is the party’s election symbol ? lined the street. Kanshi Ram offered the customary piece of cake to Mayavati and she, in turn, offered a piece to her mentor.

Mayavati, who has struggled in the last couple of years with electoral debacles and court cases, spoke of bringing her party back in power in Uttar Pradesh.

The BSP chief told the rank and file that her party should hold the master key to power. She asked them to repeat in other states the party’s success in Uttar Pradesh. Mayavati also asked her supporters to go through her book as it would provide an insight into the Bahujan Samaj movement.