Uma Bharti to take a sabbatical from electoral politics for two years, to work for Ganga rejuvenation

The announcement came days after BJP announced its first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, in which the saffron-robed leader's name did not figure.

Bhopal: Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Uma Bharti on Thursday said she will not contest elections for the next two years and instead work for the rejuvenation of the Ganga river, but also made it clear that she will not retire from politics.

Her announcement came days after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, in which Bharti's name did not figure.

Talking to reporters here, she said, "On January 22, during the Ram temple consecration ceremony, I saw the firm resolves of Ashok Singhal, (former international working president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad) who worked for the construction of the holy shrine being accomplished. That day, I decided to complete the work of holy Ganga (rejuvenation)."

"I won't contest elections for two years. I conveyed this to B L Santhosh, organisation (general) secretary of BJP on the 24th (of January). A day before yesterday, I emailed my decision to BJP president J P Nadda to be made public," the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said.

"Ganga ji is my mother. I have requested the support of the government and party for the cause of Ganga," the saffron-robed leader said.

Bharti was the Union Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation minister during the first term of the Narendra Modi-led government. She said since her decision (of not contesting elections) was not conveyed to the public, she decided to speak to the media about it.

In the last couple of years, Bharti maintained that she will contest the 2024 general elections. When asked that he could have worked for the cause of Ganga despite being an MP, she said, "It can't happen. I take my Parliament seat very seriously. I was always available to the people of Jhansi which I represented." "I won't retire from politics. I want to work for the downtrodden," she said.

In its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has dropped the name of Bhopal's sitting MP Pragya Singh Thakur and instead given the opportunity to Alok Sharma. When asked about Thakur, Bharti only said she has high respect and regard for the former, who she said endured extreme torture in jail. Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. According to Bharti, the Modi wave prevails in the country and the BJP storm is set to sweep the general elections.