BJP to send NDA team to Vellore

Malhotra, who was briefing reporters on the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting held this morning, did not specify whether the decision was taken collectively by the NDA. The delegation would comprise ‘‘four or five’’ MPs and their names would be finalised once NDA convenor George Fernandes returns to the Capital.

The announcement was significant because barring Fernandes — who visited the jailed Shankaracharya and participated in the BJP’s protest dharna — JD(U) leaders have stayed away from the agitation over the pontiff’s arrest. Other NDA allies too have been circumspect in their reactions.

In an interesting twist, suspended BJP leader Uma Bharati who was allowed to meet the Shankaracharya in jail today appeared to contradict Malhotra’s statement that he was being denied medicines and his life was in danger.

Bharati was quoted as saying that the Shankaracharya’s health was fine and he was getting good treatment in jail. Her target of attack was not the TN government but Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Malhotra refused to answer queries on whether Bharati was visiting the Shankaracharya in her personal capacity or as a BJP leader. ‘‘Yeh prashanna roz puchha jaata hain, roz mujhe kahna padta hain ki mujhe pata nahin (I am asked this question every day, and every day I have to answer that I do not know).’’

In Vellore, Bharati said she had come ‘‘not as a politician but as a saint from the Himalayas’’. She was also quoted as saying it was like a ‘‘daughter meeting her father’’ — adding the Shankaracharya to her long list of adopted fathers that includes Vajpayee and Advani.