Party divided over homecoming on Uma home turf

Former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu today announced the party’s decision to revoke Uma Bharati’s suspension, evoking varied reacti...

Former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu today announced the party’s decision to revoke Uma Bharati’s suspension, evoking varied reactions from party members in the state.

Her staunch loyalists, who had maintained a low profile over the issue so far, celebrated her return to the party, while those in the opposite camp adopted a more guarded approach.

Naidu made the announcement at a press conference in the Capital. He also said that there would be no change at the top level in Madhya Pradesh — to a great extent, nullifying any immediate threat to Chief Minister Babulal Gaur.

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But Uma supporters seemed to be signalling their belligerence on the issue. ‘‘One has to accept that there is no parallel to Uma Bharati in the state. She continues to be a mass leader whose stature is bigger than anyone else in the state,’’ said former Union minister and a close Bharati associate, Prahlad Patel. The decision, though delayed, had lifted the mood of party workers across the state, he added.

Senior state minister Sunil Nayak said that a ‘‘wave of excitement’’ had spread through the party cadre in the state. ‘‘Each and every worker and party leader in the state is happy today. We welcome the decision by the party president,’’ Nayak told The Indian Express.

On whether Uma could take back the reins of power in the state, Nayak said, in a lighter vein, ‘‘Advaniji har nirnay sahi samay par lete hain’’.

Interestingly, the state party headquarters did not issue any statement on Uma’s return, claiming that it was a decision of the party high command in Delhi. State unit president Kailash Joshi, a known Uma opponent, was evasive. ‘‘I will give my reaction only after I reach Bhopal tomorrow,’’ he said.

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Party insiders insisted that there was no immediate threat to the Chief Minister. ‘‘He seems to be well placed as of today and with the central party high command officially acknowledging that there would be no change, his standing is even more firm,’’ said a senior leader.

But some feared that the return could mean interference in local party politics. ‘‘With a good number of legislators still on her side and her now being in active politics in Delhi, could mean interference in party affairs here,’’ said a leader.

The CM took a guarded stand, saying that he would work with Uma to make the party stronger in the state. Interestingly, Gaur had welcomed Uma’s suspension after her outbursts at a party meeting in Delhi about a month ago.