Uma attacked in MP poll violence

The BJP alleges the former CM had slapped a person outside a polling booth that infuriated the village people.

The by-poll in the Bada Malhera assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh turned violent when a group of people pelted stones at former Chief Minister Uma Bharati's car.

HT Image

The by-poll was necessitated after Uma Bharati resigned from it. Being denied the post of the chief minister by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), she formed her own Bharatiya Janshakti Party (BJSP).

When she reached a polling booth in Shahrora village to protest against the alleged bogus voting there, some people started throwing stones at her.

"As soon as the BJSP workers held a demonstration outside the polling booth, more than a dozen people armed with canes attacked them and smashed their vehicles. Umaji had to run for cover and take shelter in a temple to save her life," said BJSP leader Bhagwan Das Sabnani.

The attackers ransacked at least 15 vehicles, though there were no reports of any injuries. Sabnani accused the ruling BJP of throwing all democratic norms to the winds and demanded immediate dismissal of the government.

Hundreds of BJSP workers gathering at Bhopal's main Roshanpura square where they would sit on a strike.

The BJP, on the other hand, alleged that Uma Bharati had slapped one Shankar Pratap Singh alias Halke Raja outside the polling booth and this infuriated the village people.