Bharati ignores PM8217;s requestto withdraw resignation

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 19: Tourism Minister Uma Bharati tonight met Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and pressed for acceptance of her resignation ignoring his plea to her to reconsider it. quot;I told him Vajpayee I don8217;t want to withdraw the resignation,quot; she told mediapersons emerging from the meeting with the Prime Minister.

Vajpayee, who called her to discuss the resignation she sent five days ago protesting the alleged police assault on BJP corporators in Bhopal and take on Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, advised Bharati to reconsider and quot;not to take any decision in haste.quot;

The Prime Minister advised Bharati to meet Home minister L K Advani and BJP president Kushabhau Thakre to discuss the issue. The Tourism minister, who will meet Thakre in Bhopal tomorrow, said the picture would be clear by tomorrow afternoon.

Attacking Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Bharati alleged the assault on BJP corporators, including women, was carried out quot;at the instance of the ruling Congress in the Statequot;. She appealedto Congress president Sonia Gandhi to sack Singh at the earliest quot;to prove her sincerity and commitment towards welfare and honour of Indian women.quot;