While LK Advani, Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh are said to be in favour of Uma's return, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and M Venkaiah Naidu are understood to be opposed to the idea.
BJP Central leadership today again deferred a decision on the return of firebrand leader Uma Bharti to the party-fold due to differences among the top brass on the issue.
"BJP Central leadership has not taken any decision on the return of Uma Bharti to the party," senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar said.
The matter was discussed at a meeting held at the residence of party president Nitin Gadkari and attended by LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Kumar, M Venkaiah Naidu, Rajnath Singh, MM Joshi, Bal Apte and others.
While Advani, Gadkari and Rajnath Singh are said to be in favour of Uma's return, Swaraj, Jaitley, Naidu and Kumar are understood to be opposed to the idea.
Meanwhile, the party issued a warning to two ministers in Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet in Madhya Pradesh -- Babulal Gaur and Kailash Vijayvargiya -- asking them to refrain from sharing with the media their views on Uma's return to BJP.
"In Madhya Pradesh, the Central leadership has asked a couple of ministers not to go out of the purview of their authority and make statements. Whatever decision has to be taken on the issue (Uma's return) will be taken by the Parliamentary Board of the party," Kumar told reporters.
The Madhya Pradesh unit of BJP is also divided on the issue of Uma Bharti's return to the party. Chief Minister Chouhan and Gaur are opposed to her while Sumitra Mahajan and Vijayvargiya want her back.
Gaur had offered to resign from his post yesterday when the issue of Uma's return came up for discussion. Vijayvargiya is openly saying that Uma should rejoin the BJP. The spat between the two became public, putting the party in an embarrassing position and prompting it to issue the statement.
The buzz about Uma's return to BJP has been doing the rounds since Gadkari took over as President and said he would welcome all those who had left the party. Many felt after former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh's homecoming in June, Uma's return was imminent.
However, party insiders say Uma's case is different as her return would threaten the clout of several senior party leaders. Being a maverick leader with a mass following, her return to BJP would also diminish the stature of leaders from Madhya Pradesh, like Chouhan and Gaur, they say.
Even a promise from Gadkari that Uma's services would be utilised in Uttar Pradesh and other places and she would keep away from Madhya Pradesh has not convinced Chouhan, who refuses to believe this, party sources said.
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