Tags:
Journalism of Courage
BJP vice-president Kalraj Mishra,one of the frontrunners for the chief ministership if his party gets the mandate,has hinted that Uma Bhartis outsider tag will prevent her from becoming the CM of Uttar Pradesh. All praise for Bharti otherwise,Mishra refused to agree that the former MP chief minister is a prospective CM candidate if the BJP comes to power.
Earlier,BJP president Nitin Gadkari had hinted at prospective candidates when he said elections in the state were being fought under the leadership of Kalraj Mishra,Uma Bharti,former party president Rajnath Singh and state unit president Surya Pratap Shahi.
In an interview to PTI,Mishra,who is contesting from Lucknow East,said: But our party president has also said that Shahi is the state unit president and hence cant hold two posts,Rajnath Singh has already said he is not in state politics now and Uma Bharti is from outside8230; not from UP.
However,he hastened to add that this did not mean I am saying I am the chief ministerial candidate.
Ever since Gadkari announced that Uma will contest from Charkhari in Mahoba district,speculation has been rife about her being a prospective CM candidate. Her case is also strengthened by the fact that she is an OBC leader and the BJP is aggressively wooing this community.
However,Mishra,a former minister of the erstwhile BSP-BJP government,feels Bharti is a national leader of the party and should not be seen only in the context of UP politics. He also evaded a query if the BJP would choose a Brahmin the community to which he belongs as the CM. Mishra said the decision will be taken by the Parliamentary Board.
