Lucknow, Jan 15 (IANS): Renewing her attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP), former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati Wednesday accused the state government of failing to maintain law and order and demanded imposition of president's rule.

Saying Uttar Pradesh was being run on the directions of the mafia, Mayawati added the state was now in the throes of anarchy.

"There are riots taking place in the state and the chief minister is busy with his ministers in merry-making," she said, referring to the Muzaffarnagar riots besides other communal clashes and the Saifai Mahotsav.

Mayawati said the state government had completely failed to rein in criminal elements.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo alleged honest and dedicated officials in the state bureaucracy were being victimised and hounded.

Accusing the Akhilesh Yadav government of scrapping many welfare schemes initiated by her government for Dalits and the poor, Mayawati said after giving unemployment allowances to some, the SP government failed even on this front.

She added no new jobs were being created in the state.

The Dalit leader claimed people wanting a fair audience from government officials and ministers were being lathi-charged and even the mafia has gained entry into the corridors of power.

Saying that imposition of central rule was the only option to end the agony of people, Mayawati urged the citizens of the state to vote out the SP government in the next assembly elections and also defeat the ruling party candidates in the Lok Sabha polls.