Uma Bharti Wants To Contest 2029 Polls From Jhansi, But There's A Rider

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti has declared that she will contest the 2029 Lok Sabha elections from Jhansi. Speaking to reporters, she said, "If I contest, I will contest from Jhansi. My desire is to contest the Lok Sabha elections. If the party asks, I will contest; I will not refuse."

"I am not marginalized in politics. I am working with full dedication for the cause of the cow and the Ganga. Apart from that, I have no other personal interest in politics," she said.

Shortly after her statement made headlines, Bharti issued a clarification on X, stating that her remarks were made informally during a casual conversation at the Lalitpur railway station. "On October 18, 2025, when I arrived to catch a train from Tikamgarh to Lalitpur, I met BJP officials and workers from Lalitpur and Jhansi. I said casually that I would contest the 2029 elections from Jhansi," she wrote.

She maintained that she stands by her comment but added two conditions: the BJP must officially ask her to contest, and Jhansi MP Anurag Sharma should not face any difficulty because of her decision.

Bharti announced that she will launch a cow conservation campaign on October 29, on the occasion of Gopashtami. The campaign will run for one and a half years, involving Gram Panchayats and farmers. "Cows can only survive if farmers want them. Two cows should be given to every Ladli Behen because sisters can take care of them sincerely," she said.

The former chief minister proposed that cow shelters should house only sick or unfit cows, while healthy ones should be reared by farmers. She suggested that farmers rearing cows should receive financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month, along with land support.

Bharti revealed that a fund is being created in Arab countries to support cow shelters and that she has already discussed the issue of improving cow welfare with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Bharti also announced the launch of a Ganga Cleaning Campaign on November 4 in Prayagraj, where prominent personalities from across India will participate. "Cows and the Ganga are the twin pillars of a self-reliant India," she said. "Natural farming must be promoted to ensure chemicals from farmlands do not flow into the Ganga."

Reacting to Mohan Yadav's remarks about misreading Lord Krishna's name as Gopal and not being a "butter thief," Uma Bharti advised restraint. "Politicians should not pretend to be experts in scriptures. Only saints should speak on such matters," she said, adding that the Chief Minister was "innocent and emotional" in his statement.

She also advised the government to remove cows from roads, citing safety concerns. "We should adopt the concept of four-lane roads from England and America where roadside fencing is common. I will speak to Nitin Gadkari again. No animal should be allowed on highways," she said.

Regarding the Ladli Behen Yojana, she suggested giving two cows to each beneficiary to increase women's income and self-reliance. "I spoke to Minister Lakhan Patel about it; this will help Ladli Behens become truly self-sufficient," she said.