New Delhi, July 14: The BJP chief, Mr Nitin Gadkari’s efforts to bring back former party leader and saffron sanyasin, Ms Uma Bharti, in the party suffered another set back after differences among party leaders on the issue came to the fore. On Wednesday, Mr Gadkari had to convene a meeting of party’s core group after party’s Madhya Pradesh unit witnessed a spat between those favouring Bharti’s return and those opposing her reinduction, thus putting the party in an embarrassing position. The BJP core group also discussed party’s future strategy to counter charges by the Karnataka Governor, Mr H.R. Bhardwaj on the issue of illegal mining and corruption against the B.S. Yeddyurappa government in the state. The party alleged that Congress was trying to destablise the state government.
After the core group meeting ended, senior party leader, Mr Ananth Kumar, said party had not taken any decision on the return of Ms Bharti. Meanwhile, the party issued a warning to two ministers in Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan Cabinet in Madhya Pradesh — Mr Babulal Gaur and Mr Kailash Vijayvargiya — asking them to refrain from sharing with the media their views on Ms Bharti’s return.
“Whatever decision has to be taken on the issue will be taken by the Parliamentary Board of the party,” Mr Kumar said. The meeting held at Mr Gadkari’s residence was attended by senior leaders including Mr L.K. Advani, Ms Sushma Swaraj, Mr Arun Jaitley, Mr Ananth Kumar, Mr M Venkaiah Naidu, Mr Rajnath Singh and Dr M.M. Joshi.
Sources disclosed while Mr Advani and Mr Rajnath Singh are in favour of Ms Bharti’s return, some of the leaders including Ms Swaraj, Mr Naidu and Mr Kumar are opposed to the idea. Party’s Madhya Pradesh unit is also divided on the issue. While the Chief Minister, Mr Chouhan and Mr Gaur are opposed to her, senior state leader Kailash Vijayvargiya is in favour of her joining.