More to Uma’s resignation than ‘moral grounds’

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

NEW DELHI, MAY 4: There is a fresh worry for the BJP. Uma Bharati, president of the fledgling Bharatiya Janshakti Party, may contest the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat, held by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who is seeking an election to the Assembly through a by-election.

What has alarmed the BJP leadership is the sudden resignation of Bharati from the MP Assembly ‘‘on moral grounds’’ yesterday. Declared an unattached member in the aftermath of her expulsion from the BJP, Bharati was under no obligation to quit her Bada Malhera seat. Not even on moral grounds after forming her own outfit, for she claimed credit for the BJP victory in the entire state.

A traditional BJP stronghold, Vidisha is the home turf of Chauhan. But if Bharati decides to contest, Chauhan may well be in danger of losing the seat immediately after his resignation. Vidisha can be a fertile ground for Bharati to prove her mass strength. The constituency has around one lakh voters from her own Lodh community. Angered by her removal, the Lodhs are certain to rally round her. The remaining OBCs have another one lakh votes. A vocal advocate of reservations for OBCs, Bharati had carefully projected herself as an OBC leader with a humble background vis-a-vis rootless upper-caste people in control of the party. This solid vote-base, coupled with her personal stature and mass appeal cutting across caste-lines, would make Bharati a formidable candidate. An inevitable triangular contest—due to the presence of a Congress nominee— would make things worse for the BJP