By L.S. Herdenia
BHOPAL: Two former chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh by their actions and utterances are keeping their colleagues and party men in suspense. They are Digvijay Singh and Uma Bharti, two rivals. It was Uma Bharti who through her massive and stormy campaign ended the ten year rule of Digvijay Singh, the first politician to rule Madhya Pradesh for continuous ten years. But Bharti overthrew him. Her slogan was that Digvijay had failed on all fronts particularly on “Sadak, Pani and Bijli. The defeat saw Digvijay Singh announce that he would not accept any office for next ten years.
Both of them are now giving the impression that they have renounced politics and embraced the path of spiritualism. Digvijay Singh is in the midst of a “Narmada Parikarma”. He has already completed more than 2,400 km. During the Parikarma he has interacted with media but refrained from talking politics. He is accompanied by his newly married wife Amrita. His colleagues in the Congress are at a loss to understand the real motive behind his six-month long yatra. But most of them make it a point to meet him during the yatra. Those who met him included Kamal Nath, Jyotraditya Scindia, and Arun Yadav. Rameshwar Neekhra, one of the vice presidents of the state Congress, is giving him company.
Though Digvijay Singh himself does not give an indication that he has political ambitions his long time associate and former minister Mahesh Joshi says Digvijay Singh will play a crucial role in the coming Vidhan Sabha elections. Joshi also indicated that after the conclusion of the Narmada Parikram, Digvijay will undertake another “yatra” whose sole purpose will be to arouse sleeping partymen. Joshi thanked Amrita Rai for the successful yatra. Media people who covered Digvijay Singh’s yatra note that many ticket aspirants make it a point to greet Digvijay Singh. As for Uma Bharti, the Union minister and former Madhya Pradesh CM announced on 11th February that she won’t contest elections any more.
She also said she was not a contender for the chief minister’s post in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly polls are scheduled at the end of the year. Citing health issues, she said she won’t be in the fray in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from her constituency, Jhansi, or anywhere else.
After coming to Bhopal on 12th February, she confined herself indoors and refused to speak to the media. Asked about her health, her media manager Manoj Dwivedi said she was ailing and was taking rest. “Didi has fever. She is not meeting anybody though messages are pouring in. She will respond after recovering from the fever,” he said. It was while talking to reporters after a development review meeting on Sunday that the firebrand leader made the surprise announcement.
“I have conveyed my wishes to the party leadership not to force me to contest the next elections because my health condition doesn’t permit me. I have serious knee and back problems because of which my movements are becoming restricted. Even during the previous Lok Sabha election campaign, I had to use the helicopter due to these problems,” said Uma Bharti. “At 54, I am no longer fit for hectic and active political work. I will not contest any more elections but will continue to work for the party and campaign for the Vidhan Sabha elections in MP,” Bharti added.
Expressing gratitude to the people of Bundelkhand for their unconditional support, she said that she was not personally satisfied with developmental work in her constituency as she was unable to give proper time. Bharti shifted to UP in 2012 assembly elections when she won from Charkhari in Mahoba. (IPA Service)
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