BJP undecided on fielding Uma Bharati

NEW DELHI: BJP is still undecided on fielding Uma Bharati, its prominent OBC face, in the Uttar Pradesh elections.

Although a section of the central leadership is pitching for her candidature from Babina, a constituency in the Bundelkhand region, there appears to be resistance from state unit leaders and their handlers at the Centre. The party postponed the decision on the candidate for Babina.

BJP, which has so far given tickets to 381 candidates, is yet to release the names of the rest 22 candidates for UP polls. Earlier this week, Bharati had said she had left it to party president Nitin Gadkari to decide whether she would be in the fray..

Former party president Rajnath Singh and organisation secretary Ram Lal has managed to get seats for loyalists in the latest list of 32 candidates announced on Friday. Among them, seven belong to Rajnath Singh's Thakur community. Politically crucial OBCs have got eight seats. In an attempt to ensure that Brahmins, who are seen to be deserting BSP, get back into BJP's tent, the party has been liberal in awarding seats to leaders belonging to the community.

Vijaylal Yadav, the brother of Bhojpuri actor Dineshlal Yadav Nirahua is a Yadav. The actor is expected to campaign for the party in UP, sources said. After Ramakant Yadav, BJP's Azamgarh MP who is being seen as an influential figure to capture the Yadav votes in eastern UP, it is yet another for blow for Congress. The SP was trying to get him into its fold. BJP has given Ramakant Yadav's family members - wife Ranjana Yadav, son Arun Yadav and nephew Birendra Yadav - to contest polls from Poorvanchal constituencies, where Yadavs are in large numbers.