More to Uma’s resignation than ‘moral grounds’

A traditional BJP stronghold, Vidisha is the home turf of Chauhan. But if Bharati decides to contest, Chauhan may well be in danger of losing the seat immediately after his resignation. Vidisha can be a fertile ground for Bharati to prove her mass strength. The constituency has around one lakh voters from her own Lodh community. Angered by her removal, the Lodhs are certain to rally round her. The remaining OBCs have another one lakh votes. A vocal advocate of reservations for OBCs, Bharati had carefully projected herself as an OBC leader with a humble background vis-a-vis rootless upper-caste people in control of the party. This solid vote-base, coupled with her personal stature and mass appeal cutting across caste-lines, would make Bharati a formidable candidate. An inevitable triangular contest—due to the presence of a Congress nominee— would make things worse for the BJP

True, the stakes would be high for Bharati as well. A defeat would mean a loss of face for her too. But as it appears, she has already embarked on an aggressive strategy, taking the lead over the BJP even on contesting the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat. Just in case she wins, the implications are anybody’s guess.