Rae Bareli bypoll: Uma to field woman against Sonia

Lucknow, Mar 30: Announcing to field a woman candidate from Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency against Congress President Sonia Gandhi, expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti today said she, in fact, would be the 'shadow' candidate against Congress leader.

'' I have decided to field my party's woman candidate from Rae Bareli but you may call me as the 'shadow' candidate against Ms Gandhi,''she told reporters here.

She said the name would be announced at an appropriate date.

Seeking to blast 'sacrificial' image of Ms Sonia Gandhi in her own firebrand manner, the sadhvi-turned-politician disclosed that she wanted to contest from Rae Bareli herself but for the constraint of time in view of the launching of her new party by April 30. ''In any case, I would function as 'shadow' candidate and spend sufficient time to campaign against Ms Gandhi,''she announced.

Ms Bharti said the letter seeking support against Ms Gandhi had been sent to all the political parties. ''I would wait for one week before announcing name of the candidate from Rae Bareli,''she said.

She said it was high time people of Rae Bareli were freed from the ''clutches of Gandhi-Nehru family'' and ''my party's candidature would be a laboured endeavour in this regard. '' ''I have seen the poverty of the poeple of Rae Bareli and they deserve better deal which is only possible if they get rid of Gandhi-Nehru family,'' she added.

She reminded that Rae Bareli was the constituency from where former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her politician son Sanjay Gandhi were defeated.

UNI