Uma wants to join NDA, writes to Advani, Rajnath, Sharad

Former BJP leader and chief of Bhartiya Janshakti Party, Uma Bharti has written to leaders of the NDA expressing the desire to make her party a part of the alliance.

Former BJP leader and chief of Bhartiya Janshakti Party, Uma Bharti has written to leaders of the NDA expressing the desire to make her party a part of the alliance.

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Bharti wrote letters to NDA Convenor and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, senior BJP leader LK Advani and BJP President Rajnath Singh.

Noting that the Women's Reservation Bill is likely to be discussed in the forthcoming session of Parliament, Bharti says in her letter that her party would like to support the bill along with the NDA to ensure the rights of women.

Bharti, who formed her party in April, 2006 when she fell out with the BJP, had supported BJP during the Lok Sabha polls and even campaigned for the party. At that time, she had cited lack of funds as the reason for her party's decision of not fielding candidates.

The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has been in political wilderness since her outburst against Advani led to her ouster from the BJP. Her party fared badly in the Madhya Pradesh elections last year and she herself lost the assembly poll.

When asked about BJP reaction to Bharti's letter, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "If she has expressed the desire to join the NDA, the alliance partners can hold a meeting and take a call on the issue."