Uma Bharti

A firebrand leader and Hindutva mascot, Uma Bharti has always been in the limelight whether she was with the BJP or out of it. Raised by Vijaya Raje Scindia of Gwalior, Bharti became involved with the Bharatiya Janata Party at a very young age. Currently, an MP from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, she is a Cabinet Minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation in the Modi government. Her first electoral battle came in 1984 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections. Her first victory in Lok Sabha elections was in 1989 when she won from Khajuraho constiuency in Madhya Pradesh. She retained the seat in 1991, 1996 and 1998. In the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, she held various portfolios as Minister of State and Cabinet Minister, including that of Human Resource Development, Tourism, Youth Affairs and Sports. Bharti was appointed the Chief ministerial candidate of the BJP for the 2003 Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh. On the back of a fierce campaign based on a plank of development, and helped along by her reputation as a Hindutva firebrand, she led the party to a three-fourths majority in the legislature. In August 2004, after only a year in office, an arrest warrant was issued against Uma Bharti in connection with the 1994 Hubli riots, forcing her to step down as CM. She was actively involved in the ‘Ramjanmabhoomi’ movement, she has been named in the Liberhan Commission report on the demolition of the Babri mosque at the disputed site in Ayodhya. She was re-inducted in the BJP in June 2011 and was tasked with reviving the party in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly election in 2012.

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UMA BHARTI NEWS

Is Uma Bharti planning to end self-imposed exile, get back to contesting polls? UP BJP abuzz over remarks

October 24, 2025 11:57 am

After former Madhya Pradesh CM expresses an interest in contesting 2029 LS polls from Jhansi, some in the party say "too early" to take a call

The 40-second video has the narrator claiming that the IPS officer went to Bharti's residence disguised as a maid and arrested her while she received kickbacks from a contractor, the FIR stated.

YouTube video claims IPS officer caught ex-CM Uma Bharti taking bribe; case registered

October 29, 2024 1:27 pm

Based on a complaint by Bharti's personal secretary, the Bhopal police's crime branch registered a case against the unidentified person who uploaded the video on YouTube, assistant sub-inspector Lal Bahadur Singh said.

Lok Sabha polls: Uma Bharti fails to make it to BJP's list of star campaigners in MP; newcomer Pachouri in

March 27, 2024 4:54 pm

The former MP chief minister, who had led the BJP to victory in the 2003 Assembly polls, had also failed to make it to the BJP's list of star campaigners during the 2023 state polls

Won't contest polls for next two years, will work for Ganga rejuvenation: Uma Bharti

March 07, 2024 7:56 pm

Her announcement came days after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, in which Bharti's name did not figure.

Uma Bharti interview: ‘We've no copyright on Ram Bhakti… I’ll tell Oppn this, to rid yourself of fear, attend event. And also to BJP, to rid itself of arrogance’

January 10, 2024 2:17 am

"When finally Modi ji as PM attended the shilanyas, without any Hindu-Muslim rancour ... it made us hold our heads high. The world had seen India in terms of caste and religious disputes... Sense of national unity has not allowed any tensions to be generated to date on Ram Janmabhoomi"

Uma Bharti calls for OBC quota in women’s Bill

September 24, 2023 7:21 am

“In Madhya Pradesh elections are coming, so this can be implemented now. You (political parties) give tickets to women from the backward castes without reservation. There is no need for reservation, only your will power (is required),” she said.

I have not quit politics, will contest next election: Uma Bharti

September 13, 2023 1:47 pm

Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh are due in November this year, while the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled next year.

To regain space, Uma Bharti tries to shake things up in Madhya Pradesh BJP

September 06, 2023 9:31 am

The former CM expressed displeasure on Sunday on not being invited to the party’s Jan Ashirwad Yatras, is said to be pushing for her candidates to be fielded in the Assembly polls

Won't participate in 'Jan Ashirward Yatra' if invited now: BJP leader Uma Bharti

September 04, 2023 5:38 pm

The BJP is taking out the yatras from five different places in Madhya Pradesh, which will culminate on September 25 in state capital Bhopal with a 'Karyakarta Mahakumbh'.

Uma Bharti tries to barrel back into MP politics, but in BJP her space has shrunk

February 21, 2023 1:25 pm

The former CM on Monday got the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to accept a demand of her anti-liquor campaign. That is likely to be all the BJP concedes.