Uma rules out rejoining BJP in near future

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti on Sunday said she was not interested in rejoining the BJP “at present”, dousing talks of such a possibility that had been stoked by the party’s senior leader LK Advani.

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti on Sunday said she was not interested in rejoining the BJP “at present”, dousing talks of such a possibility that had been stoked by the party’s senior leader LK Advani.

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On December 11, Advani had indicated that the firebrand Hindutva leader would return to the BJP soon to strengthen the organisation in Uttar Pradesh and contest elections from that state.

Bharti told mediapersons in Nagpur that she would not rejoin the party which did not acknowledge the work she did to strengthen the organisation. “I had worked hard to make the party strong. Whatever challenges I was given, including the Ram temple issue, I faced it and produced positive results. Now, how can I forget the past five years (out of the party)? It will be very difficult for me to forget them.”

Bharti was suspended from the BJP in November 2004 and served a show-cause notice following her outburst against Advani before the media. However, after her suspension was revoked and in May 2005 she became a member of the party’s national executive. Later in the year, she was expelled from the BJP when she revolted again following the appointment of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.

Bharti claimed she had a good rapport with BJP president Nitin Gadkari and Advani. “But at present I am not interested in rejoining the party,” she said.