Uma shoots off mouth, creates stir in MP unit

It is not in Delhi alone that Uma Bharti is creating waves. Just when it seemed that talk of factionalism and infighting in the BJP state un...

It is not in Delhi alone that Uma Bharti is creating waves. Just when it seemed that talk of factionalism and infighting in the BJP state unit here was subsiding, Bharti’s recent salvo has once again ensured that speculation on this score continues.

Media reports from Sagar have quoted her as stating that the recent party decision to replace Gauri Shankar Shejawar by Babulal Gaur as Leader of the Opposition was wrong. She was quoted as saying that Shejawar had been doing a good job as Leader of Opposition.

Overzealous PR Dept?

BHOPAL: The MP Public Relations Department enjoys a reputation for showing unusual zeal but this time it clearly seems to have overstepped the mark. While the BJP has been making tall claims about its Gaon chalo abhiyan, over the weekend the PR Dept sent out an article describing how it had been a failure. Although this hardly falls in the ambit of highlighting the govt’s achievements, excerpts from the article did find their way into local media. (ENS)

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On the face of it, the statement is being seen as Bharti’s way of repaying a debt but the timing seems to have gone all awry.

At a party meeting in July this year, L.K. Advani had told senior party leaders from MP that the party was considering Bharti’s appointment as state party chief in place of Vikram Verma.

The state leaders had then argued that Bharti lacked the organisational skills to lead the party into the elections or the administrative ability to hold the CM’s office in case it won the elections.

Shejawar and Sunderlal Patwa were the only ones to have backed Bharti.

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Soon after, in September, a compromise was worked out with veteran leader Kailash Joshi replacing Vikram Verma and Shejawar himself making way for Babulal Gaur.

It was decided that Bharti would be the main campaigner for the party in the run-up to the elections and no one would be projected as the party’s choice for Chief Minister.

Shejawar himself made his displeasure known in October when his hopes of being appointed the chief party spokesman were rebuffed. He went on a five-day fast which he gave up on the second day at the intervention of the Central leadership.

And just when it looked as if the state leadership may have begun to pull things together with even Shejawar taking up his duties and touring the state as part of the BJP’s Gaon Chalo Abhiyan, Bharti’s statements have once again set tongues wagging.

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For the time being, the state leadership has decided not to respond to these comments with state president Kailash Joshi only stating that ‘‘the decision to replace Shejawar was taken by the Central leadership so any query should be addressed to them’’.

Bharti, who was away on a tour, could not be contacted.

But another bout of dissent within the party does not augur well, especially when faced with a cohesive Congress unit where Digvijay Singh is in complete command. Ironically, given the number of fronts — such as roads and electricity — on which the ruling party is vulnerable, it is the rumblings within the Opposition that have occupied centrestage for the most part.