World | India
Bharti's party may split over merger
A vertical split appears inevitable in the fledgling Bharatiya Jan Shakti party (BJS) headed by former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti.
- By Ajay Jha, Chief Correspondent
- Published: 00:44 April 4, 2008
New Delhi: A vertical split appears inevitable in the fledgling Bharatiya Jan Shakti party (BJS) headed by former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti.
With Bharti's return to the Bharatiya Janata Party on the cards, a group of rebels have begun to try and foil here possible move to merge the party with the parent party.
To start with, half a dozen state unit presidents of the BJS have come together and appointed former federal minister Prahlad Patel as the new president of the party. They are now planning to approach the Election Commission.
Expulsion
The BJS came into being in March 2006 following Bharti's expulsion from the BJP in December 2005 and was granted recognition by the Election Commission in July 2006.
Although it has since then contested elections in various states, the party has proved to be a non-starter, failing to make any impact.
State unit chiefs of Bharti's home state Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh met in the national capital and elected Patel as their new leader.
"We have elected Patel as our new leader in protest against Bharti's dictatorial attitude and unconstitutional behaviour," said Umesh Mathur, the Madhya Pradesh state unit chief.
Patel, who was once considered a close associate of Bharti, cited Bharti's decision to appoint Sanghapriya Gautam as executive president without taking the party leaders into confidence.
Together they have charged the firebrand Bharti of trying to weaken BJS before merging it with the BJP.
Open door
"She can go to the BJP if she wants, but we will keep the party alive," said Mathur. The BJP, however, is not forthcoming on when it would throw the doors open for Bharti, although it does not rule out such a possibility.
The BJP has been under pressure form the parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to bring back all rebel leaders so as to avoid a split in pro-Hindu votes during the forthcoming state polls and the general election.
Bharti pulled out her party candidates both in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat mid-way through the elections under pressure of the RSS, much to the annoyance of her party leaders. BJP leaders admit that she can create problems for the party in its quest to retain power in Madhya Pradesh, where she had led the party to victory in 2004.
Homecoming
Expelled for dissent
- Uma Bharti is the second BJP rebel slated to return to the parent party. Decks have been cleared for the return of former Delhi chief minister Madan Lal Khurana to the BJP.
--A string of BJP rebels joined hands with Bharti after she formed the Bharatiya Jan Shakti party two years ago. They include Khurana, Swami Chinmayanand, Tapan Sikdar and Sanjay Paswan.
--She was expelled from the BJP after she rebelled following the appointment of Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Madhya Pradesh chief minister in December 2005. She floated the BJS in March 2006 which has since failed to make much electoral impact.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
A year after 173 defenceless people were killed
Mumbai itself is far from safe from another deadly attack, even though the level of security consciousness of the average Mumbaikar has been raised since 26/11
-
Nato supports Obama's plea
European and other allies to send around 6,000 troops to Afghanistan
-
Official confirms mayor is the suspect
Many witnesses have come forward, justice secretary says
-
Into an oasis of values
A place to snuggle in the warmth of old manners away from the bustle of city life
