Former Union Minister and ex-Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti on Friday indicated that she may return to electoral politics, saying she will contest elections when she feels fully prepared.
Bharti, who last successfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Jhansi, said age was not a barrier, stressing that she is still under 65. “Yes, I will contest the election. I am not even 65 years old. But I will fight when I think I am ready for it,” she said in an interview with ANI.
However, the BJP leader clarified that contesting now could hinder her current priorities. “If I fight from a Parliamentary seat, then my entire time and attention will be dedicated to the people. If they face problems, I will feel personally responsible and guilty. And if I become a minister, that brings even greater responsibility. These commitments will not allow me to pursue what I am dedicated to at present,” she explained.
Describing herself as a person with “clear goals and determination,” Bharti said she would only contest polls if they aligned with her vision. She added that she does not seek power for its own sake, asserting that she draws strength from people’s support. “I am powerful in myself. Some people are powerful even without power, and I have people’s power. That courage is very useful for me,” she said.
Bharti’s political journey began in 1989, when she won her first Lok Sabha seat from Khajuraho, a constituency she retained through three successive terms. In 1999, she shifted to Bhopal, and in 2003 led the BJP to a historic win in Madhya Pradesh, ending Digvijaya Singh’s decade-long rule.
In 2014, she returned to Parliament from Jhansi, defeating Samajwadi Party’s Chandrapal Yadav, and went on to serve as a Cabinet Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
