BJP frantically wooing Uma Bharti

NEW DELHI, Nov 25 (Agencies): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is busy wooing its erstwhile leader Uma Bharti back into the party fold before the Gujarat elections and is keen that she rejoin the party before the campaign picks up.

On her part Bharti too 'cannot ignore the advice of her guru' to return to the party fold, said a BJP leader considered close to her and working for her return to the party.

According to the Bharti confidante, a Gujarat victory is crucial for the long-term survival of the BJP.

Advani himself is leading the effort to bring back her back.

And party president Rajnath Singh has also pitched in his bit.

But her return could cause a setback to party dissidents from the state, said another source.

The return of Bharti, currently heading her own outfit Bharatiya Jana Shakti (BJS), 'is definitely going to cause a big setback to the BJP dissidents in Gujarat', said the source.

'There are a lot of BJP voters in Gujarat who are not inclined to go over to the Congress party, but who are unhappy with Modi (Chief Minister Narendra Modi).

Uma Bharti was becoming the rallying point for such elements.

'But now she has already announced her intent to withdraw her candidates from Gujarat,' said the BJP leader.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was here Friday to attend the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting, also made an appeal to her to return to the BJP.

Sources close to Bharti said they expected her return sooner than later and hoped that she may be mobilized to campaign for Modi.

However, BJP sources claimed that her return may not necessarily take place immediately.

A source said: 'Well wishers on both sides are working actively and she cannot ignore the call of her guru (Swami Pejewar Vishesha Tiratha) who has appealed to all Hindutva forces to reunite and work together to defeat anti-Hindutva forces.' 'It's not as if things may happen overnight.

But there is a thinking in the party that her contribution to the rise and establishment of the BJP as a national party cannot be denied and undermined.' He denied that so far any direct talks have taken place between the BJP and Bharti, but added, 'Well wishers are talking to both sides.' He also denied that the BJP felt any urgency in getting her back right away.

'Her return will not be decided by the Gujarat elections.

After all there is no desperate situation for the party in Gujarat anyway,' he said.

Meanwhile, Bharti indicated in Bhopal that she might withdraw her party's candidates in the Gujarat assembly elections in favour of the BJP.

Before leaving for Gujarat by a train Saturday evening, the former central minister told the mediapersons: 'I have been directed by my guru to ensure that Hindutva forces continue to remain in power in Gujarat and this would be possible, to a great extent, only when my party doesn't jump in the fray.

'I can't ignore my guru's wishes and this is why I will discuss this latest development with my party's workers in Gujarat and then take any decision,' she said.

She, however, clarified that her decision would be only in the case of Gujarat and it should not be mistaken for a change in her stance towards the BJP.

Gujarat will have two-phased polls on Dec 11 and Dec 16.

PM returns after successful CHOGM summit in Kampala NEW DELHI, Nov 25 (Agencies): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned here today after attending the 53-nation Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) summit in Kampala, Uganda.

Dr Singh raised India's concern on matters like climate change, economic and international trade, strengthening good governance and the constitutional crisis in Pakistan at the summit.

During his three-day visit to Uganda, Dr Singh held a string of bilateral meetings with Commonwealth leaders.

He had left for Uganda on Thursday.

The Commonwealth, on Saturday, unanimously selected India's nominee, Kamalesh Sharma as the next Secretary General of the Commonwealth to replace Don Mckinnon.

Dr Singh also met his British counterpart Gordon Brown, on Saturday, on the sidelines of the CHOGM summit.

The issue of Doha round of WTO talks, which has failed to take off since it was launched in 2001, dominated the discussions between Dr Singh and Brown.

The two have agreed on the need to push the negotiations, which have been stalled due to differences between developing and developed nations over farm subsidies.

Huge outcry against violence in Imphal IMPHAL, Nov 25 (Agencies): People in Manipur have come out strongly in protest against the violence perpetrated by the rebel groups.

People of the State have gradually started defying militants, who have made their lives difficult.

Recently, a bomb blast took place in an electronic shop in Imphal's Paona Bazar area, because the owner of the shop failed to pay extortion money demanded by the rebels.

The rebel groups, who attempt to create a fear psychosis among the masses by triggering bomb blasts, have not deterred the Manipuris.

All sections of society have come out openly against the highhandedness of the militant groups.

As the blast occurred in the busy market all were left unawares.

"We are not aware how it happened, as we were engaged in talking to customers, as several of them were there at that time.

We thought it was a cracker blast and rushed out of the shop.

We saw smoke billowing," said Rajesh, a salesman and an eyewitness to the blast.

The irony is that militant organisations claim to represent particular tribal sections, but seldom care about the people.

People now understand the rebel designs, and therefore despite all the threats, people are resisting these antisocial forces.

Sharmila Devi, a blast victim, said "Such acts are meant only to destroy the harmony and peace of society." The locals, generally silent about the activities of the underground groups, now are openly supporting the administration's drive against them.

An example of the people's resistance to the rebel violence is the gunning down of some insurgents recently after a tip-off from the people.

"The police team acted on a tip-off, and in an encounter one militant was killed," said Jhalajit Singh, SDPO, Imphal West Police.

Manipuris want to live in peace and are willing to walk that extra mile to bring the State on the path of development.