New Delhi:
Uma Bharti, BJP leader, is "very keen" to run against Congress president Sonia Gandhi, said yoga guru Ramdev today. That may be a little bit of projection - while Ramdev has been lobbying for the contest, Uma Bharti herself said today, "Ramdev is like a guru and younger brother to me. His proposal is for the BJP, the party has to give a reply."
The 54-year-old, often referred to as the BJP's primary firebrand, has been announced already as the BJP's candidate from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. Baba Ramdev says the BJP and she should change direction and move a little eastward to Sonia Gandhi's constituency of Rae Bareli.
"Uma defeated Digvijaya (Singh), she has all the qualities to take on Sonia," said the yoga teacher, whose public classes draw audiences of thousands. "If the party selects her, I will campaign for her to defeat Sonia."
Ramdev, who is not a member of the BJP, insists the party is free to ignore his opinion -"I am only a fakir" - and refutes allegations of trespassing. "It is wrong to say I am lobbying for candidates. If the BJP asks for advice on good people, I give it." A few days ago, he appeared at a rally in Delhi addressed by the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.
The BJP has not yet announced its candidates against Mrs Gandhi or her son, Rahul, in their constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Uma Bharti, who describes herself as a "sanyasin" or a monk, returned to the BJP in 2011, six years after she was expelled for indiscipline.