R N Sharma resigns from BJP, joins Uma's camp

Bhopal, Apr 29 (UNI) In a jolt to the BJP, party's Madhya Pradesh unit vice president Raghunandan Sharma today resigned from the primary membership of the party, announcing that he was joining expelled leader Uma Bharti's soon to be launched outfit.

''My resignation letter, addressed to state party president Satyanarayan Jatia, has been handed over to office secretary Tapan Bhoumick today,'' he told a news conference here, adding he had resigned protesting the party's ''anti-people policies and neglect of party workers''.

A former MLA, Mr Sharma, however, said he would continue to be associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

''The BJP was now at the crossroads as few leaders had hijacked it ignoring the sentiments of its workers,'' he said.

''In the past two-and-half years, I had written many letters to senior party leaders to convey about the growing frustration among the party cadre. But, even the courtesy of acknowledging my letters was not shown,'' Mr Sharma added.

Senior BJP leaders Satyanarayan Jatia and Vikram Verma, both former union ministers, had tried to prevail upon him not to quit the party, he said, adding he would urge other dissatisfied BJP members to come out after Ms Uma Bharti floated her party. ''I will discharge whatever responsibility was bestowed on me in the new party,'' he added.

Lamenting that the BJP could not constitute the new executive after Mr Jatia was appointed the state party chief two months ago, Mr Sharma said the district units of Ms Bharti's new party would be formed within two months.

UNI AG-SP VJ KN1532