New Delhi: If the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari has his way, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti could be back into the party soon.
Bharti was expelled from the party for an indefinite period of time in December 2005, when her claim to return as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister was overlooked in favour of Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
BJP sources are abuzz with talks that Gadkari would try to push for revocation of Bharti's expulsion during the three-day conclave of the party, starting in Madhya Pradesh city Indore from Wednesday.
Gadkari, who was nominated by the BJP parliamentary board as the new national president of the party in December, was formally elected to the post on February 9.
According to the party constitution, election of the new president needs to be ratified by the national council. Soon after his nomination to the post, Gadkari had publicly stated his desire to bring to the fold leaders who had left the party over the years.
The list included names of Bharti, former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh and former foreign minister Jaswant Singh.
Blocked
While Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha has become an ally of the Congress party, Kalyan Singh's return to the fold was blocked by Gadkari's predecessor Rajnath Singh who has taken up the onus of reviving the party in his home state Uttar Pradesh.
Jaswant Singh's case may come up for review at a later day since he has merely served six months in wilderness.
There is, however, no problem in getting the once firebrand saffron-clad leader Bharti, who had virtually disbanded her political outfit Bharatiya Janshakti Party.
Even Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is not opposed to her return since he has consolidated his position and is rated as a popular and successful chief minister.
He does not feel threatened by Bharti any more and may insist on keeping Bharti busy in the national politics, so that she does not interfere much at the state level.
Sources close to Gadkari say that he has approval of the parent body, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to bring back those who had left the party if it can strengthen the BJP.
Gadkari himself is seen as the RSS choice as the BJP chief.
Gadkari may discuss Bharti's return at the national executive meeting which precedes the two-day national council meeting and later move a formal motion to revoke her expulsion before the party's parliamentary board during the Indore conclave itself.
