BJP says no to Bharati's return as CM

Amidst mounting pressure from Uma Bharati supporters for her reinstatement as Madhya Pradesh chief minister, the BJP central leadership today ruled out any change of guard in the state and disapproved the public show of strength by her supporters.

"There is no proposal before the party for any change in leadership," Arun Jaitley, BJP general secretary and spokesman, told reporters here after an hour-long meeting of party general secretaries presided over by party chief LK Advani.

Jaitley's statement was meant to convey a message of disapproval to Bharati, who in a letter to RSS chief KS Sudershan last week, demanded that she be reinstated as chief minister, and followed it up with a show of strength in Bhopal yesterday.

According to sources, all senior BJP leaders except Advani are in favour of disciplinary action against Bharati.

Asserting that Advani had not received any letter from party MLAs seeking a change in leadership, Jaitley said, "The party does not approve the mode of a signature campaign being publicly announced to express viewpoints within the party."

He said Advani was in touch with state BJP chief SS Chauhan and had sought a report from him on the developments. There are conflicting reports on the number of MLAs having signed the letter addressed to Advani demanding her reinstatement.

Bharati, meanwhile, postponed her departure to Bihar to force the issue to a conclusion.

"Bharati's last card is the support of MLAs, if the party is not moved into action after that, then it is difficult to see how she will manoeuvre herself out of the situation," said a senior BJP leader.

"Babulal Gaur is the chief minister and will continue to remain so. Party's central leadership had made it clear on number of occasions that there were no talks about a change of guard in Madhya Pradesh," MP BJP president said.