Field Uma Bharti against Sonia, Ramdev to BJP

Days after sharing stage with BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, yoga guru Baba Ramdev Wednesday urged the party to field Uma Bharti from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"Though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded candidates in all constituencies, why has it not fielded a strong candidate from Rae Bareli," Ramdev asked at a press conference here.

He said if the BJP agreed to field Bharti from Rae Bareli, he and his followers would campaign for her.

"I will go from house to house to campaign for Uma Bharti-ji and tell people about her leadership qualities. I will also organise rallies to campaign for her," said Ramdev, adding that he will make every effort to make Gandhi lose her electoral bastion.

Gandhi is an MP from Rae Bareli for the last two terms.

He said he has been approached by many people to contest from Rae Bareli, but he has decided against contesting the general election.

"A lot of people have told me that if the BJP does not field any powerful candidate, why don't I contest the election against Sonia Gandhi. But I have taken a decision to not contest the polls," he said.

BJP has fielded Bharti from Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi constituency.

Ramdev blamed Sonia Gandhi for the corruption in the country, and said that her defeat was important for India's welfare.

"I am confident the BJP will win more than 300 seats and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will become the prime minister," he said.

Asked about the poll panel notice to him, Ramdev replied that he has not received any show cause notice.

Ramdev was issued a show cause notice Tuesday for inviting Modi to the March 23 Yoga Mahotsav, despite the poll panel granting permission only for a yoga session. At the yoga session, Modi shared the stage with Ramdev at the Ramlila Maidan and heaped praise on the yoga guru.