Shivraj, BJP's USP in Madhya Pradesh elections: Uma Bharti

Bharti, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh was replaced by Chouhan in 2004, just an year after she was elected to the top post.

“As far as Shivraj Singh Chouhan is concerned, he is BJP's USP (unique selling point) in Madhya Pradesh,” she told PTI.

Confident of party's victory in the upcoming assembly elections, Bharti said there is pro-cumbency also for the party in the state assembly elections.

She further said the party will continue with its winning run in the state assembly elections as well under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Responding to question on the BJP facing a resurgent Congress in Madhya Pradesh she said:”The Congress is a divided house. It has no vision for the state. People of the state are with us, we will win the election.” Bharti said she felt Modi's leadership and party's organisational structure are its biggest strength in the state.

Perhaps this for the first time after 2003 assembly elections, Bharti has been campaigning so vigorously in the state.

BJP has won three consecutive elections in the state. The party won maximum 173 seats 2003 , followed by 144 seats in 2008 and 165 seats in 2013.

Bharti was instrumental in ousting Digvijay Singh-led Congress government in the state in the 2003 state assembly elections.

But an year later, Bharti had to resign in 2004 after an arrest warrant was issued against her in connection with the 1994 Hubli riots. Later on she floated her own party Bharatiya Janshakti Party in 2006 in Ujjain following her explusion from the BJP.

But in 2011 she merged her party with BJP and became Union Minister in 2014.