RSS pretenders trying to grab flavour: Uma

New Delhi, Nov 16: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janshakti party leader Uma Bharti today alleged that some ''vested interests'' in the garb of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were making attempts to curry political favour in BJP ruled states.

Describing RSS as a ''great patriotic institution'' (Mahan Rashtravadi Sagathan), Ms Bharti told newspersons that a new trend of people trying to establish their identity as RSS men by attending 'shakhas' wearing the uniform just to get government favours, was emerging in the BJP ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan .

Coming down heavily on RSS pretenders, Ms Bharti said, ''One can't imbibe the RSS code of conduct and develop a belief in ideology just by wearing the dress and attending the 'shakhas' for a few days.

"One can be an RSS worker without showing off. We regard RSS ideology 'God', '' she added.

Asked about the Madhya Pradesh government revoking a ban on government servants attending the 'shakhas', she said, ''My government did not do it on paper because it was bound to be reimposed with a vengeance by future governments 'inimical to the ''Sangh'' ideology'. There was no restriction on them to take part in RSS activities during my tenure as Chief Minister.'' Describing the BJP as a ''pseudo-Hindutva outfit', Ms Bharti alleged that it had misused, abused and discarded the ideology.

Having emerged as the third player in her home state, she would lay claim for the entire safron votes.

Answering queries on the failure of her party to make inroads in the recently concluded byelections in MP, she said her four-month old party had displayed its ability by emerging as a third player in a polity dominated by the Congress and the BJP. ''In Bada Malhera, it was not a win for the BJP but was extracted using administrative machinary. There was a murderous attack on my convoy and me in the run-up to elections.'' ''We have only liberated the safron voters, the compulsions of supporting the BJP,'' she said, adding the voter base of the BJP had shrunk in other Lok Sabha byelections in Vidisha and Bhagalpur where the party had won with a small margin. In Koderma polls in Jharkhand, the party had fared miserably.

Referring to the BJP's claim that it had done well in Uttar Pradesh local body elections, she said, ''My analysis shows that the party should find it lucky to save half of its existing 80 odd seats won in the assembly elections if this should be the trend in the coming polls also. '' She concurred with the claim of Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati that she had 'transferred' her party votes to the BJP and the Congress.

''BSP Chief's anti Mulayam votes have been divided between BJP and Congress and it would not happen in next assembly elections when BSP candidates too would be in the fray,'' she said.

UNI