Uma centre to BJP campaign

And on Friday,for the first time,a room was reserved at the party’s state headquarters in Lucknow to set up an office for Uma Bharti. Her nameplate was also put on the entrance door of the office.

Party general secretary Rakesh Kumar,who earlier occupied the room,was moved to elsewhere. Party sources said Uma Bharti will also lead another BJP campaign,named “Nadi-Navik-Jal bachao swabhiman yatra”,in which she will travel by boats and steamers on major rivers across the state to reach out to riverine communities.

During “UP Bachao-BJP lao” campaign,which will last a fortnight,the party will organise public meetings in all the constituencies which will be addressed by senior leaders.

During the campaign by rivers,which will begin from Shringverpur in Allahabad,Uma Bharti will hold meetings in villages dominated by communities like Nishad,Kevat and Kashyap which survive by working as boatmen or fishermen. These castes are among OBCs and Uma Bharati will speak on how their issues had been ignored by the Mayawati and Mulayam singh governments,and what the BJP proposed to do about them.

To give a final shape to the two campaigns,senior party leaders will hold a meeting in New Delhi on Sunday,after the conclusion of L K Advani’s Jan Chetna Yatra.

The way the party leadership is pushing Uma Bharti to the prominence in UP has not been liked by many state leaders. “Uma returned to the party after six years,was imported in UP and put above senior leaders who have always been loyal to the party and have always worked sincerely. Now she has been given charge of these campaigns,’’ remarked a UP leader.

When Uma Bharti was initially sent to UP,it was stated she would be helping in the party’s election campaign. Later,Gadkari stated the BJP is contesting the election under the joint leadership of Rajnath Singh,Uma Bharti,Kalraj Mishra and state party president Surya Pratap Shahi.

“Rajnath and Kalraj are both very senior leaders of the party. First,Gadkari put Uma at par with them by announcing that elections will be contested under the joint leadership of the four leaders. You don’t what will come next,” reacted another leader.

A third party leader,however,said Uma was being promoted simply because she is “an aggressive leader and it helps the party. Her public meetings draw good crowds. There is an element of glamour also’’.

He said first the party launched Jan Swabhiman yatras led by Rajnath and Kalraj. After Gadkari named Uma among the top four leaders,it was only natural to name her as the head of these campaigns.

“Next,Surya Pratap Shahi may be named leader of a campaign’’,the leader remarked,who felt too much was being read in Gadkari’s announcements.

Advani breaks silence on Maya,says her UP split an attempt to delude people

Arriving on the second part of the UP leg of his Jan Chetna Yatra on Friday,BJP leader LK Advani accused Chief Minister Mayawati of making attempt to delude the people by talking of division of the state.

“Division of a state is not an easy task. It is the Central government that plays the leading role in the division of a state and not the state government,” Advani said,while addressing a public meeting in Bijnor. In his previous two-day passage through UP on October 13 and 14,Advani had made no mention of Mayawati or BSP government in his speeches.

Advani today said that political parties like Congress and the BSP have done a lot of damage to the country. In particular,he targeted the Congress over the issues of corruption and price rise. “Every time,Congress rules in the Centre,prices rise,” Advani said. Regarding upcoming Assembly elections in UP,Advani asked the BJP leaders of the state to give tickets to only those who are committed to the party and its policies. State BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi said lawlessness was widespread across the state during current BSP government.

Advani will reach Rampur on Saturday where he will address another public meeting. The yatra will pass through Moradabad,Jyotiba Rao Phule Nagar and Ghaziabad. After addressing a gathering in Ghaziabad on Sunday morning,Advani will move to New Delhi where the yatra will conclude at the Ramlila ground. ENS