Tuesday, April 26 2005 12:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhopal: With Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) sidelined Uma Bharti adopting an aggressive posture towards party higher ups during her "spiritual" sojourn in Amarkantak, her supporters appear set to step up a campaign to pressurise party's Central leadership to give her a major role at the national level.

Amidst rumblings over leadership in BJP, Uma's tirade against the top brass seems to have put the beleaguered party in a piquant position as 45-year-old sulking sanyasin took pot shots at top leaders when she broke her fortnight-long "penance" at Amarkantak on April 21.

As speculation is rife about Uma's next move on her return from Amarkantak, the BJP leadership appears to be adopting a wait-and-watch approach.

State party president Kailash Joshi said, "I have taken note of Uma's remarks in the last few years but will not comment at this juncture."

Uma's loyalists say the ball is now in Central BJP leaders' court. "Umaji has made it amply clear that she needs to be given responsibilities and it is for the Central leaders to decide on it," Vice-Chairman of State Employment Generation Board Shailendra Sharma told sources.

"A leader of her stature should be given an important role at the national level as she does not seem inclined to return as Chief Minister and has extended all support to Babulal Gaur Government," he said.

"We will step up our campaign for securing Umaji her due place. She should be given either a major task at the national level or be made Chief Minister again," said Chandrabhan Singh, MP and another Uma loyalist.

BJP should not forget that it was under her leadership that the party achieved an impressive landslide victory with three-fourths majority in the Assembly elections in the State 16 months ago, he said and asked, "How can the party afford to ignore such a charismatic leader with mass base?"

Regarding Uma's possible future strategies, Shailendra Sharma said the saffron-clad sadhvi has given a "clear signal that despite all her contributions towards strengthening the party, she is being made to struggle now for work, particularly after she stepped quit Chief Ministership."

"Now she will wait for a response from the Central leaders before chalking out her future plans," he said adding, "It would be in the interest of the party that the Central leaders take a decision on giving responsibilities to Umaji at the earliest."

Any delay in entrusting Uma with some responsibilities would cause considerable harm to her as well as the party as it would not only trigger "wild speculation all over but also lead to uncertainties and instability," Sharma said.