BJP not sincere about Ram temple issue: Uma

Lucknow, Jan 17 (UNI) Bharatiya Jan Shakti president and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti today said the BJP was ''lying'' about its intentions to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

''If the BJP is serious about the Ram temple, it should distance itself from NDA allies, who are not allowing the party to continue with its Hindutva agenda,'' she told reporters here.

She claimed that after the BJP came to power for the first time at the Centre, its vision and policies were taken over by professional managers. ''Such managere are required to manage coalitions, but in the BJP they assumed the role of leaders and snatched the agenda and policies from people, who actually formed the party.'' Ms Bharti said that while sticking to the NDA, the BJP could never fulfill its promise of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

''The Mamta Banerjees and Nitish Kumars will always use the threat of withdrawal of support for their vested political interests...I want to ask Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee what his plans will be if given the option of becoming the Prime Minister and building the temple at Ayodhya.'' Earlier, addressing party workers here, she took a dig at the ''ongoing tussle between the BJP leaders'' on the Prime Ministerial candidate issue.

''There is no talk of the BJP returning to power at the Centre, still they are fighting on the issue of prime ministership,'' she said.

''First, it was L K Advani now it is Mulayam Singh Yadav, who wants to don the mantle of Sardar Patel...the aim should be improve the plight of common man,'' she observed.

Commenting on the SEZ policy of the UPA government, Ms Bharti said SEZs were essential for the development of the country.

''But they should be run by co-operatives, not MNCs, who want to grab economic power in India as the British did 300 years ago.'' UNI