With her loyalists mounting pressure for a change of guard in Madhya Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti, on Monday, postponed her return to Bihar for electioneering by a day and held parleys with senior leaders over the latest political developments.
Though the nature of the discussions was not known, Bharti is likely to have clarified her stand before senior leaders in the wake of around 50 MLAs, including some ministers, gathering at her residence on Sunday, reportedly to voice their grudge against Chief Minister Babulal Gaur.
While the fiery sanyasin claimed ill-health as the reason behind her postponing her turn to Bihar, she has paid visits to senior leaders since Monday morning, including party member of Parliament and former state party president Kailash Joshi, before rushing to the BJP office to meet party functionaries, sources said.
During the meetings, she is believed to have raised the issue of the MLAs' letter, wherein they have accused Gaur of working at the behest of Congress leaders and neglecting party leaders, they said.
Demanding return of Bharti as the chief minister, her loyalists had claimed that over 80 MLAs have written to BJP president L K Advani, asking him to convene a legislature party meeting for gauging the mood of members about Gaur and elect a new leader.
"Bharti claimed to have rebuked the MLAs for making the demand," Joshi told reporters adding, "She, however, wanted Gaur to be away while meeting functionaries so as to talk freely."
