The Hindu : National : I will live and die for BJP, says Uma Bharti

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 01, 2005

National

National

I will live and die for BJP, says Uma Bharti

Staff Correspondent

Says scope for dialogue should be recognised

BHOPAL: The former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Uma Bharti, said on Wednesday that she would "live and die" for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

She was speaking to journalists at a roadside eatery just outside Bhopal.

Ms. Bharti, who has been suspended from the party, is on a padayatra from here to Ayodhya. She said it was a penance for the party's "failure" to meet its commitment on temple construction at Ayodhya and addressing the problems of poor people.

After going on the offensive on Tuesday, saying that a "gang of four" had hijacked the BJP, Ms. Bharti gave signs of toning down following her suspension on Wednesday. She thanked the party for giving her three days to reply to the show cause notice. She would give a reply within the deadline.

Reading out a statement, Ms. Bharti said she would live and die for the BJP. She had grown under the tutelage of party president L.K. Advani and the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Drawing the party president's attention, she stressed the need to rise above "irresponsible statements" and said: "Instead of looking at the whole issue as just an organisational matter, the scope for dialogue should be recognised."

"Democratic battle"

Ms. Bharti said hers was a democratic battle rooted to ideology and she could not think of leaving the party as she is closely linked to it. "Individuals are not important as they come and go but ideology is supreme," she added.

Some persons accompanying her said it was Ms. Bharti who had led the party to victory in Madhya Pradesh and she should have been the natural choice to become chief minister.

Amid these developments, Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan attended office in the afternoon. Prominent among those present in his chamber were his predecessor Babulal Gaur and the former Chief Ministers, Sunderlal Patwa and Kailash Joshi. Mr. Chauhan reiterated his commitment to work for the uplift of the weaker sections in society and farmers. "It would be my endeavour to develop Madhya Pradesh as a model State."

Late decision: Gaur

Earlier, Mr. Gaur told mediapersons that Ms. Bharti thought she was bigger than the party and had the habit of making irresponsible statements against senior party leaders. Her suspension has come late. The action should have been taken when she had called MLAs to her residence on the pretext celebrating Diwali. If she had been suspended at that juncture, he would have continued as Chief Minister, Mr. Gaur said.

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