Lucknow:
BJP vice-president Kalraj Mishra has denied reports that he had ruled out senior party colleague Uma Bharti as a contender for the post of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister since she was an outsider. Mr Mishra added that the party's Parliamentary Board, which is the highest decision making body, will decide the Chief Ministerial candidate if it wins the UP Assembly elections.
PTI said that in an interview, Mr Mishra had said that Uma Bharti was "from outside... not from Uttar Pradesh".
BJP President Nitin Gadkari seemed to have hinted at prospective CM candidates when he said that elections in the state were being fought under the leadership of Kalraj Mishra, Uma Bharti, former party president Rajnath Singh and state unit president Surya Pratap Shahi.
Speaking to PTI, Mr Mishra said, "But our party president has also said that Mr Shahi is the state unit president (and hence can't hold two posts), Rajnath Singh has already said he is not in state politics now and Bharti is from outside... not from Uttar Pradesh". He, however, said, "This does not mean that I am saying I am the chief ministerial candidate."
The former minister of the erstwhile BSP-BJP government was also reported as saying that Ms Bharti was a national leader of the party and should not be seen only in the context of UP politics. "Moreover, she should also not be seen only as an OBC leader. She had been a Union minister in NDA government. She is a sadhvi who cannot be confined to a state. She is also a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh," Mr Mishra said.
Mr Mishra has, however, clarified that he was misquoted in the interview. Uma Bharti was a national leader who could contest elections from any state, he said. When it came to choosing a CM, the decision would be that of the party's central committee since all the four leaders spearheading the BJP campaign in UP were equally qualified, Mr Mishra said.
The BJP has said that Ms Bharti will contest from the Charkhari constituency in Mahoba constituency, sparking speculation that the OBC leader may be projected as the chief ministerial candidate. Mr Mishra is contesting on a BJP ticket from Lucknow (East).
(With PTI inputs)
PTI said that in an interview, Mr Mishra had said that Uma Bharti was "from outside... not from Uttar Pradesh".
BJP President Nitin Gadkari seemed to have hinted at prospective CM candidates when he said that elections in the state were being fought under the leadership of Kalraj Mishra, Uma Bharti, former party president Rajnath Singh and state unit president Surya Pratap Shahi.
Speaking to PTI, Mr Mishra said, "But our party president has also said that Mr Shahi is the state unit president (and hence can't hold two posts), Rajnath Singh has already said he is not in state politics now and Bharti is from outside... not from Uttar Pradesh". He, however, said, "This does not mean that I am saying I am the chief ministerial candidate."
The former minister of the erstwhile BSP-BJP government was also reported as saying that Ms Bharti was a national leader of the party and should not be seen only in the context of UP politics. "Moreover, she should also not be seen only as an OBC leader. She had been a Union minister in NDA government. She is a sadhvi who cannot be confined to a state. She is also a former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh," Mr Mishra said.
Mr Mishra has, however, clarified that he was misquoted in the interview. Uma Bharti was a national leader who could contest elections from any state, he said. When it came to choosing a CM, the decision would be that of the party's central committee since all the four leaders spearheading the BJP campaign in UP were equally qualified, Mr Mishra said.
The BJP has said that Ms Bharti will contest from the Charkhari constituency in Mahoba constituency, sparking speculation that the OBC leader may be projected as the chief ministerial candidate. Mr Mishra is contesting on a BJP ticket from Lucknow (East).
(With PTI inputs)
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