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I continue to be in politics: Govindacharya

Bharatiya Janata Party leader K N Govindacharya on Monday blamed "communication gap" for his reported removal as pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and maintained that he continued to be in politics.

"It happened because of a communication gap and not because of any controversy," Govindacharya, who just completed a six-month solitude as part of his two-year sabbatical, told reporters.

Denying that the BJP and RSS leadership were "upset" with him, he said that he continued to be an RSS swayamsevak (worker).

"My ideological moorings are as strong as ever and I will continue my contributory role," he said, adding that since the period of solitude was over, he would now be attending the national executive meetings of the BJP.

Govindacharya said it was for the BJP leadership to decide how to utilise his services once he returned from his study leave.

Seeking to put a lid on the controversy involving him and Sports Minister Uma Bharati, he said, "I despise such controversies. I respect her as a sant and she is nothing more than a friend."

In August last year, Govindacharya, upset over media reports that he had secretly married Bharati, had blamed "vested interests" for spreading such misinformation.

He said since 1992 attempts had been made to link his name with Uma Bharati.

"Such controversies are aimed at discouraging the efforts of women for a rightful share in public life," he regretted.

Govindacharya admitted that he wanted to marry Uma Bharati in 1991 and sent a proposal to her and her family through a senior BJP leader, but she turned it down. Thereafter, she took sanyas and the matter ended.

Govindacharya said he had quit as a pracharak on "my own volition", as he now wanted to strike balance between spirituality and peoples' interest.

PTI

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