VHP tries to fish in troubled waters

Support for Uma Bharti seems to be forthcoming from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad with senior VHP leaders justifying her altercation with Bharatiya Janata Party chief LK Advani, which led to her suspension from the BJP yesterday.

According to senior VHP leaders, the point raised by Bharti of curbing "mandate-less" leaders who are dominant voices in the organisation should be heeded. For them Bharti's expulsion has more to do with the tussle between moderates and "extremists" in the BJP than a personality clash.

"What she said was correct. A few people who would be hard put to win any election are running the party. This is what led to the BJP's defeat in the 2004 general elections," said a senior VHP leader.

The "true leaders", according to them, would know that the Hindu sentiment was hurt by the inactivity of the AB Vajpayee government on the Ayodhya temple issue.

The VHP's attitude towards Advani is no secret, with both Vajpayee and Advani being referred to as traitors to the cause of the Ram temple.

This attitude led to the VHP's boycott of the RSS session in Hardwar on the day that Advani had to attend. The only problem with the situation, according to Bharti's supporters in the VHP and the BJP, is that the whole episode was broadcast on television.

"It has now become too difficult for the party to forgive and for her to act penitent," added the senior leader.