In an election-bound state like Uttar Pradesh, Baba Ramdev is fast turning into a tool for politics.
Parties that are making a bid for secular politics are gunning for the yoga guru while those who claim to be rooting for “nationalism” are supporting him. Some are playing it safe while others are caught in a vortex of confusion.

The UP police has launched a manhunt for former BSP MLC Heera Thakur who is now on the hitlist for allegedly making some rather derogatory remarks against chief minister Mayawati at the Samajwadi Party’s national convention at Agra this week.

Before they get ready to take on the Bahujan Samaj Party in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party will battle each other in the first round.

In less than 24 hours, the initial excitement has given way to apprehension and discontent has started simmering in the UP BJP over the “superimposition” of Ms Uma Bharti in Uttar Pradesh.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has said that UP chief minister Maya-wati denied permission to Yoga guru Baba Ramdev to continue his “satyagrah” in UP under pressure from the Congress. Talking to repor-ters here on Monday, UP BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi said, “On Sunday, Ms Mayawati condemned the crackdown on baba

The BJP and Samajwadi Party have strongly criticised the Congress-led UPA government for its crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has said that the perception of disunity in the BJP is a major problem for the party at the moment.

The BJP on Saturday reiterated its “full support” to Baba Ramdev’s fast against corruption.
The BJP accused the Congress of “double standards” on the issue and said that while its ministers held talks with Baba Ramdev, some party leaders continued to criticise the yoga guru’s agitation.

In one smart move, UP chief minister Mayawati has turned the tables on her political rivals and stumped her detractors.

With the Ram Mandir issue having lost the power to bring in votes and catchy slogans having failed to mobilise cadres, the Bharatiya Janata Party has finally decided to take refuge in the charisma of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to return to power in UP and at the Centre.