Uma-backers in BMC may wait and watch

BHARATIYA JANSHAKTI president Uma Bharti?s next visit to Bhopal is likely to create a flutter in the BJP corporators group in the BMC. Although she has many supporters in the group, not many of them are expected to join her party at this moment. She is scheduled to come to Bhopal next fortnight.

BHARATIYA JANSHAKTI president Uma Bharti’s next visit to Bhopal is likely to create a flutter in the BJP corporators group in the BMC. Although she has many supporters in the group, not many of them are expected to join her party at this moment. She is scheduled to come to Bhopal next fortnight.

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Unlike MLAs, the corporators don’t face any disqualification threat due to defection. With resignation of Sandhya Sharma as BDA vice-chairperson and from the BJP, process of gradual consolidation of Uma’s new political outfit in Bhopal seems to have begun.

But BJP sources say it is too early to say who will join Uma at this juncture. They, however, admit that in next couple of years when Assembly election will draw near, desertion in the BJP could be expected.

Even the leader of BJP corporators, Ashok Pandey, is unlikely to join the Sadhvi’s party, though he has put up a picture of Uma Bharti in his office at Sadar Manzil despite repeated warnings of the party office-bearers.

Sources say some of the BJP corporators are fence sitters. They are unhappy with attitude of senior party leaders but wary of quitting the party.

District BJP office-bearers say nobody would leave the party for Uma. “There was support for her only till Uma was with the party,” said a district BJP office-bearer.