New Delhi:
If she was looking to reunite with her parivaar, she'll have to wait.
The BJP has decided not to re-admit Uma Bharti to the party. But, in quintessential BJP style, the party is firmly divided over the issue.
The ruling comes after Bharti met with a series of senior leaders including LK Advani and Arun Jaitley.
Bharti was expelled after months of bickering in 2005. First, she attacked LK Advani for describing Mohammed Jinnah as a secular leader during Advani's controversial trip to Pakistan. Bharti said the party should expel Advani and that he should apologise to the country for this remark.
She then revolted when the BJP picked Shivraj Singh Chauhan to be the Chief Minister of her home state, Madhya Pradesh.
While expelling her, the BJP had said Bharti's actions and language were unacceptable.
Bharti went on to found a new party, Bhartiya Janshakti, and promised to revive Hindutva. Last month, she quit this party; in her resignation letter, she said her decision was "in view of the political situation in the country" and her "state of health". In the five years since it was formed, Bharti's party has performed poorly in different elections.
Party sources say recently, however, BJP President Nitin Gadkari and leaders of the BJP's parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), have been leaning towards taking Bharti back into the fold.
Party sources say the BJP was divided over whether to take back its prodigal daughter. Advani, like Gadkari, was in favour of her return.
Those against included Sushma Swaraj, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who believes Bharti would try to take him on again among party workers in his state.