“Because she has not forgotten the humiliation. The treatment she was meted out, has sent out a wrong signal among her supporters who mainly belong to the Lodh community and hard-core Hindutva supporters scattered in Bundelkhand and some part of the Avadh region,” added the UP watcher.
People who are in the know of the development told NH that “after sensing the change on the ground, RSS rushed to rescue its political wing – BJP”.
Arun Kumar, who was appointed last year to coordinate between the ideological mentor and the political entity, was authorized to take steps accordingly. He is said to have suggested that PM Modi should do more rallies in Uttar Pradesh.
“BJP views UP polls as a semi-final before the 2024 general elections. If the party loses the most crucial state, it will be difficult for them to come back to power in 2024,” said an insider.
Pertinently, Uma Bharti comes from the Lodh community which forms about 7 per cent of the Hindu population in Uttar Pradesh. Traditionally, the Lodh community voted for the BJP, but many believe that this time, “unhappy over the representation within the saffron party” they may switch over to the Samajwadi Party-led alliance.
Fire brand Hindutva leader and the woman face of the Ayodhya movement, which culminated in the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992, Bharti enjoys clout among the community in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh also.
Saffron-clad Bharti who is known as Sadhvi, led BJP’s charge in 2003 in Madhya Pradesh which ended the 15 year-long Congress rule in the state.