At a time when Vidhan Sabha elections in Uttarakhand and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh have intensified political activities amidst rallies, protests and public meets, Union minister and one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s major campaigners, Uma Bharti has been staying away from it all at spiritual centres in the border region of Joshimath in Chamoli district. The leader, who has in the past often visited Kedarnath and other important shrines in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand for spiritual and non-political purposes, this time appears to be seeking spiritual solace in the region closer to and associated with lord Badrinath, point out observers. Speculation is rife regarding the reasons for the Union Minister to seek spiritual solace in the Joshimath region at a time when political activities are rising in intensity and frequency. Some question, whether the politician’s camping in the Joshimath region could be linked to those close to her being denied the party ticket to contest the Vidhan Sabha election. The situation is not clearly known in the public domain with Bharti also maintaining a distane from the media persons. Apart from the media, she has also kept the local BJP leaders distanced from her tour of this region.
Observers speculate over the reasons why at a time when Vidhan Sabha elections in five states are causing heightened political activity, is Bharti keeping out of the picture and seeking spiritual solace instead. She arrived at Joshimath late on Thursday night where she visited the Narsinh temple and later went to the Shankaracharya Ashram. On Friday, Bharti first went to Vishnuprayag- the confluence of the Alaknanda and Dhauli rivers—where she had a darshan of Mother Alaknanda after which she took part in prayers and ritual at various temples in Joshimath. It is being stated that the union minister is here on a personal visit but skeptics are not convinced considering the timing of the trip. local journalist and political analyst Brijesh Sati states that Bharti is a star campaigner for the BJP, also having been according the said responsibility in Uttarakhand. However, considering that the politician who, according to some opinions, should have been in the hub of political campaigning for the elections, is here on a personal and spiritual visit, there may also be the possibility of Bharti’s presence in Uttarakhand being a sign of there being some differences in the BJP, he opined.