Bhopal, Dec 07: From 'Ram' to 'raj', fiery Sanyasin Uma Bharti has travelled a long journey through spiritualism to power politics often courting controversies and is now all set to take over as the first woman chief minister Of Madhya Pradesh.

Born in a backward Lodh caste peasant family at Dunda village of Tikamgarh district, the 44-year old firebrand BJP leader who steered her party to a landslide victory in the assembly elections was initiated into politics at a tender age when she came in contact with late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia and leaders of RSS and VHP.
Bharti had developed strong inclination towards spiritual pursuits in her childhood and achieved fluency in religious epics including the Gita and the Ramayana. That later pitchforked her into the forefront of the Ayodhya movement.
Her presence in Ayodhya on the day of demolition of Babri Masjid and her controversial reported remarks allegedly egging Karsewaks "ek dhaka aur do" (give one more push) landed her into problems. She had since denied the remarks.
She was also at the centre of a controversy when she had repeatedly told a English news magazine that she was in love with BJP ideologue K N Govindacharya and had intended to marry him.
During the run up to the elections she was in the thick of yet another controversy when she was reportedly snapped offering a cake at a Hanuman temple as offering.
Bureau Report