Warning that the Bharatiya Janata Party will perish if it ignores grassroots workers, expelled leader Uma Bharti on Thursday claimed that her contribution cannot be overlooked and will have to be highlighted during the party's coming silver jubilee convention in Mumbai.
She also declared to provide 'Ram and roti to every Indian', once her march to Ayodhya concludes.
"My name will have to be taken during the Mumbai convention, while commemorating 25 years of achievements of BJP or BJP president Advaniji will have to carry a blank paper in his hand to the meet," Bharti said, addressing a public meet during her Bhopal-Ayodhya march at Gairatganj in Madhya Pradesh.
"You cannot do away with grassroots workers who have toiled hard for the party, or it will perish," she warned, reacting to the reported statement of a senior BJP leader that her chapter with the party had ended.
Bharti asked how her name would not be taken during discussions on issues like Ayodhya, movement against infiltration of Bangladeshis in Assam, hoisting of flag at Hubli in Karnataka, overwhelming poll victories in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar and efforts made to save the Keshubhai Patel government in Gujarat.
Citing her achievements since 1984, Bharti said she neither claimed to be 'immortal nor a tall leader', but has worked her heart out for BJP and continues to live for it.
Raising the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, Bharti said BJP was the only party that could rule after Congress and should inculcate values of 'nationalism and ideology of Deen Dayal Upadhyay' to do so.
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