Uma Bharti loses, party wins only 5 seats

Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti, who made a vengeful effort to defeat the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, herself suffered ignominy losing from her home turf Tikamgarh. Her Bharatiya Janshakti party won just five of the 213 seats it contested.

Bharti lost to Congress' Yadvendra Singh by 9,828 votes. Bharti, a former state chief minister, had maintained during the poll campaign that her aim was not the victory of her party but to defeat the incumbent Shivraj Singh Chauhan government.

Bharti, who put her personal appeal and oratory skills to best use, had staked so much in the elections that she said last month that she would "retire" to Kedarnath in the Himalayas if the BJP wins in MP and it is left to be seen whether she would do so.

BJP leaders did acknowledge that Bharti held sway over the voters during the campaign and did give jitters to the party. Her rallies drew huge crowds when she criss-crossed the state during the campaign.