Former BJP leader Uma Bharti said on Saturday that she was ready to play political guru to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. “Instead of taking notes from Digvijay Singh, Rahul Gandhi should take lessons from me. He should stop making irresponsible statements against the RSS merely with the intentions of getting Muslim support,” Ms
Uma Bharti said in an informal chat with reporters in Lucknow before continuing her onward journey to Ayodhya. She said that the Congress created “terrorism” and then went on to seek votes in the name of terrorism. “The Congress is an irresponsible party — it creates terrorism and seek votes in its name. For instance, LTTE was patronised by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and the organisation ultimately took the life of Rajiv,” she pointed out. Ms Bharti advised Mr Rahul Gandhi to act in a mature manner while making statements on Hindu organisations. “He should study the background of these organisations before commenting on them,” she added.
Replying to a question, Ms Bharti denied that she was all set to emerge as the BJP candidate for the chief minister’s post in UP in the 2012 Assembly elections.
“I have no intentions of contesting the UP Assembly polls and therefore the question of projecting me as chief minister does not arise,” she stated.
She said she did not wish to be very active in politics but could not ignore the wishes of BJP leaders L.K. Advani and party president Nitin Gadkari.
“Mr Advani, whom I respect like a father, wants me to join the BJP, but I would like to maintain an independent identity and be a part of the NDA,” she said and added that Mr Gadkari had also offered her a ‘plum’ post in the party but she was yet to accept the offer.