'There are more holes than roads in MP'

"There are more holes than roads in rural Madhya Pradesh. It takes an hour to negotiate a distance of 15km."

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharati wants to change the situation. However, she insisted it would take at least three years for her newly elected government's efforts to bear fruit.

But she knows the consequences of failure, as it was one of the main issues responsible for the massive defeat of the Congress.

Also Read I need 3 years to fix MP's problems: Uma Bharti 'And then, the road disappeared into a pothole?'

Speaking to rediff.com on Wednesday at her Delhi residence, she said another priority was the power situation. The basic infrastructure for power generation would be completed by September 2004 by which time the transmission and distribution lines would also become functional.

She insisted people are willing to pay for power, even in rural areas. "But how could people pay for it when there was no power to supply?"

Former chief minister Digvijay Singh acknowledged as much when asked if he had received a shock on hearing the election results. "How could I when there was no power?" he had quipped.

In this regard, Bharati indicated that there were some outstanding issues between MP and Chhattisgarh [which has been carved out of MP].

Asked about the reasons for her Delhi visit, she provoked laughter by saying: "I am a sanyasin and I will be coming here frequently with a begging bowl. Scared of my curse, the central government will donate generously to my state."