Bharti gets nod to campaign in Maharashtra

Despite his best efforts, Pramod Mahajan, Bharat-iya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary, will have to play host to former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti as she will be extensively campaigning in Maharashtra for the Assembly polls. According to sources, Bharti will spend six days, between October 5-11, in Maharashtra.

Mahajan who had asked that Bharti's "tiranga yatra" be kept separate from the poll campaign, will have to accommodate Bharti as part of a patch-up between her and BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu.

The party's campaign, in fact, is going to be a blitzkrieg for women power in the party. BJP general secretary Sushma Swaraj will address around 60 meetings in the state.

Mahajan, in fact, said he preferred Swaraj over "many others who were erratic in temperament. When Sushmaji commits to something, you can be sure she will be there," he reportedly said.

The third in the trinity of feminine power is Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje, who according to some BJP leaders, feels a debt of gratitude to Mahajan and the Maharashtra unit of the party, which worked hard to get her elected in Rajasthan. Raje, who has already visited Mumbai, will be travelling to the state again.

According to sources, the Rajasthan BJP unit, has identified 34 Assembly seats where there is a preponderance of Rajasthani voters. "These are as diverse as Nasik and Aurangabad," said a leader.

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will address four-five meetings and Leader of the Opposition LK Advani will address rallies between October 5 and October 10.