BJ's Gujarat decision by tomorrow: Uma

Bhopal, Nov 24 (UNI) Bharatiya Janashakti (BJ) Founder-President and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti today said that a decision would be taken by tomorrow regarding proposed withdrawal of her party's candidates from the Gujarat electoral fray.

''I will take a decision on the Gujarat nominees to prevent division of the Hindutva votes,'' the firebrand sadhvi told reporters at Bhopal Railway Station.

Mentioning that BJ General Secretary Prahlad Patel, senior leaders Sanghpriya Gautam, Chandraraj Singhvi and others concurred on pulling out of the Gujarat race, she added that a dozen MLAs, four ministers -- who had submitted nomination papers as BJ candidates -- and the BJ's state unit were not in agreement with the proposed withdrawal.

''I am journeying to Gujarat to place my party's viewpoint before the state unit and if the nominees disagree then I will speak to my spiritual guide. It will be lethal for the country if a Congress regime comes to power in Gujarat due to polarisation of votes between the BJP and Congress,'' Ms Bharti explained.

The sanyasin said that she hated the Congress due to its silence over anti-people cases such as Nandigram and Singur and its policy on the 123 Indo-US Nuclear Agreement.

''Neither has the BJP extended any invitation to me to re-enter it nor have I spoken to any leader but my stature has been enhanced by the sentiments of (former deputy premier) L K Advani and (party President) Rajnath Singh,'' she added.

Ms Bharti ''will not withdraw'' BJ candidates from bypolls to Madhya Pradesh's Khargone Lok Sabha seat and Sanver assembly seat.

UNI