Had misjudged Modi: Uma Bharti

"I had misjudged Modi in 2007, but I realised my mistake in three days and withdrew all my candidates against the BJP in Gujarat," Bharti told CNN-IBN.

"Modi's rise has been phenomenal. It is amazing to see that the hopes of an entire nation are rested on one individual. My best wishes and blessings are with Modi," she said.

Attacking Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, she called him a 'thief'.

 "Vadra is not an important person, but the theft that he has committed is so large that I have to speak about him. Who is Vadra? What are his credentials? When did he become a Gandhi? He is who is just because he is married to Sonia's daughter. Let me tell Priyanka that whether it is her husband or anyone else, the law is equal for every thief," Bharti told the news channel.

Pertinently, on Apr 13, Bharti had said if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comes to power then Vadra will land up in jail.

"Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law had been involved in several falsehood. If NDA comes to power, then her son-in-law will be in jail for sure," Bharti said while speaking to reporters in Jhansi.

On Apr 17, the Congress party released a video clipping that showed Bharti calling Modi a "Vinash purush" (destructive man).

In the video, Bharti was heard saying, "I know him since 1973... He is not a Vikas Purush (development man) but a Vinash Purush (man of destruction)."

According to reports, Bharti complained to the Election Commission (EC) for releasing the three-year-old video tape.

She has told NDTV channel  that she made the comments after she was expelled from the party. 

"Even America has changed its mind about Modi," she said.

Bharti was expelled from the BJP in 2005 over a public spat with senior leader LK Advani. 

She returned to the party in 2011 and is now contesting the Lok Sabha polls from  Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.