She is a sinking ship: Gaur

With Uma Bharti's departure, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babulal Gaur revealed for the first time, what a strain it had been to function under a "super chief minister"""Uma Bharti, who had anointed her home minister as her successor following the issuence of a non-bailable warrant against her by a Karnataka court earlier this year.

Gaur admitted before media that he had been under pressure. "Aaj neend achhi ayegi" (I will ger a sound sleep tonight), he said, reacting to the central party leadership's decision to suspend Bharti.

Gaur said he felt he had become the chief minister in a "true sense" only now. He ruled out the possibility of a revolt in the party over the issue and said the party high command decision would automatically set on the right path, those who were deviating from the party line in support of Bharti.

When asked if some leaders were likely to resign, he said that would cause their political career to end. Doobti naiya mein koi nahi baithta," (no one sits in a sinking boat).

Bharti had strongly supported Gaur, when she resigned from the chief minister's post over an issue of her arrest by an order of Karnataka court. She made it impossible for Shivraj Singh Chauhan to become her successor, who was almost nominated for the top job.

However, Gaur told Business Standard that there was no crisis in the party and he would not reshuffle the Cabinet and would see that things would be in order soon. He admitted that he had not been feeling free to work. "Ab kam hoga" (Now I will get down to it).

He said Bharti had crossed all her limits by challenging a towering personality like LK Advani. "I welcome the decision," he said adding he had been associated with Sangh and for that reason with the BJP since 1951 but had never dared to raise his voice before the party superiors.