Is Uma Bharati returning to BJP fold?

New Delhi, April 13 Speculation was rife Friday that Uma Bharati was rejoining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but the party said there was 'no immediate move' on the readmission of the breakaway leader.

Earlier in the day, Uma Bharati, the outspoken saffron-robed politician who had left the party after differences with the top leadership, announced that she was withdrawing her Bhartiya Janshakti Party from the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in support of BJP. But her former party said categorically that there was 'no immediate move' to take her back.

Quelling speculation that she was rejoining the BJP, party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said there was 'no immediate move in this direction'.

'Any decision will have to be taken by the party high command, only after president Rajnath Singh clears it,' Prasad told IANS.

Uma Bharati's announcement in Uttar Pradesh came a day after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international president Ashok Singhal appealed to her to withdraw her candidates to prevent splitting of the Hindu vote.

Singhal had earlier brokered a similar deal between Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath and the BJP - he restrained Adityanath from setting up candidates against BJP. Opposition leader L.K. Advani personally intervened to prevail upon Adityanath.

According to party insiders, Advani used his persuasive skills on Uma Bharati too. The two met last Sunday at New Delhi's Apollo Hospital where Advani's former lieutenant K.N. Govindacharya has been admitted.

There was a discussion on the Uttar Pradesh elections at Govindacharya's bedside, which seems to have left an impact on Uma Bharati, the sources said.

Uma Bharati, who has walked out of the BJP twice, could not be contacted.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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