BJP President Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that expelled leader Uma Bharti can return to the party whenever she wants but is unlikely to so for "some time" due to "health reasons".
"Uma Bharti has told me that due to health reasons she will not be able to come back to the party for some time," Mr Gadkari told reporters here.
However, he asserted that Ms Bharti can return to the party fold whenever she wants.
At present there is no proposal in this regard before the party in view of the reason cited by Ms Bharti, he said.
There has been speculation about Ms Bharti's return to the BJP, which expelled her in 2005. Later she floated Bharatiya Janashakti Party.
In December, the 51-year-old firebrand Hindutva leader had said that although she shared a good rapport with senior BJP leader L K Advani and Mr Gadkari, she was not joining them anytime soon.
"At present, I have no plans to rejoin the party," she had said, adding, "despite working for the party for a long period, I was treated badly."