Bangalore: Police kept a hawk-eyed vigil as a State wide one-day bandh in Karnataka today called by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) to demand withdrawal of cases against its firebrand leader Uma Bharti, now in jail at Dharwad, began.

In Bangalore, State and city transport buses and private vehicles were moving as usual in the morning and no holiday has been declared for schools and colleges, though some of them have closed as a matter of caution.

Police kept a close vigil on the situation at the sensitive Hubli, where Bharti surrendered yesterday (Aug 25, 2004) following a non-bailable warrant issued against her in a 10-year old criminal case in 1994 when she defied curfew to hoist the national flag at Idgah Maidan. Six persons were killed in the police firing then.

Bharti is presently lodged in the guesthouse of the agricultural university at Dharwad, near Hubli.

Besides, the regular police force, Rapid Action Force and 16,000 home guards have been deployed across the State.

Additional Director General of Police Subash Bharni is camping in Hubli monitoring the situation, particularly in north Karnataka, where the BJP wields significant influence.

Additional forces have already been moved to sensitive areas as a precautionary measure.

The BJP's bandh call came just soon after Bharti surrendered before the court and refused to seek bail.