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Nominees withdrawn to expose BJP: Bharti

Allahabad: After withdrawing her party candidates from Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in favour of BJP at the bidding of VHP, Bharatiya Jan Shakti President Uma Bharti on Tuesday claimed that her decision was aimed at ``exposing'' the saffron party in the State.

Ms. Bharti told reporters here that her decision, which followed an appeal by VHP President Ashok Singhal for prevention of division of Hindu votes, was in reality an outcome of her own ``bitter'' experiences with BJP from which she was expelled nearly two years ago.

``I have the deepest regards for Ashok Singhal. But my decision to withdraw my candidates was not just an act of obedience to his call. In Uttarakhand, BJP had failed to win majority in the last Assembly elections due to the ill-will it had created for itself during just one year of its rule upon the creation of the State. But instead of admitting that, BJP leaders chose to pass the buck towards us and alleged we caused a division in the Hindu votes which made them suffer'', Ms. Bharti said.

She said she wanted to prevent repetition of such an allegation against her party and ``expose the bluff'' of BJP as she was sure that the party would again try to hold her responsible for its poor performance in the U.P. Assembly polls.

She accused BJP of ``hoodwinking'' the people of Uttar Pradesh by raking up Hindutva. ``By doing so, it has been trying to divert public attention from real issues in the State like collapsing law and order and corruption'', she added.

Claiming that her commitment to the ideals of the Sangh Parivar was behind her estrangement with BJP, Ms. Bharti said she hoped that after realizing her worth, the saffron brigade would support her as the ``real champion of Hindu voters''.

``I hope that by the time Madhya Pradesh goes to polls more than a year later, Mr. Singhal and other Sangh Parivar leaders would have realised that BJP has become a spent force and they would bless us and seek support in our favour just as they are doing it for BJP'', she added. -- PTI

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