Hadauti cold to Uma Bharti's venture

Jaipur, June 24 (UNI) Expelled BJP leader and chief of Bharatiya Jan Shakti Uma Bharti's first foray into Rajasthan has failed to strike much response with the public.

Choosing to launch her party's activities from Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's constituency Jhalawar, the firebrand leader essentially aimed to make her presence felt and gain a standing in this BJP-ruled state. However BJS workers say Jhalawar has been selected as it is gateway to Rajasthan from Madhya Pradesh.

According to political experts, Ms Bharti's objective is to target the northern BJP-ruled states apart from her home state Madhya Pradesh, to undercut into the saffron votes.

She has also set her sight on many dissatisfied BJP party workers in the state to jump onto her bandwagon, thus strengthening her party base here.

Ms Bharti has been given Kota's Shriram Rangmanch complex free of charge for her meeting, giving rise to rumours that BJP legislator Om Birla, who has been an ardent follower of the Sanyasin, still nurses a soft corner for her.

However, her rally in Iklera near Jhalawar yesterday, could not gather huge crowds although eyewitnesses say majority of people gathered to hear her speak out of curiosity. She is expected to address a rally in Kota today and take out padyatras in Dara, Suket.

Attacking the chief minister, she said the BJP government has ensured that public do not attend her meetings.

It may be noted that around four years back, Ms Bharti was quite friendly with Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje when in BJP and both appeared at a number of party functions together. However, sources say the relationship between them soured before Ms Bharti's was expelled from the party.

Ms Bharti, however, still acknowledges that Vijayaraje Scindia, Vasundhara's late mother, was instrumental in bringing her into politics.

Her earlier trips to Kota and Hadauti region, used to draw huge crowds as the Ram Mandir issue was hot and topical then.

This time, Ms Bharti hit out at the BJP, saying it has become a party without vision and ideology.

UNI RRT PA KP1430