Indian politician freed from jail

The opposition protested against Ms Bharti's detention

A jailed opposition leader in the southern Indian state of Karnataka has been freed on the order of a court.

Uma Bharti was released after the state dropped all charges against her.

Ms Bharti accused the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Dharam Singh, of framing charges against her at the behest of the Congress Party.

Her freedom was celebrated by the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party which said it would organise a rally in the state capital, Bangalore, on Wednesday.

'No vendetta'

Ms Bharti's release on Monday was greeted by hundreds of BJP supporters who danced on the streets and lit crackers.

The BJP says further celebrations would be held on Wednesday at a rally which will be addressed by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Ms Bharti said after being freed that she had been framed by the Karnataka Chief Minister, Dharam Singh, at the behest of opposition Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Mr Singh refused to comment on her release, but the Karnataka government last month insisted there was no "political vendetta" against her.

Uma Bharti, a former nun, was sentenced over charges that she incited Hindu-Muslim violence 10 years ago.

Correspondents say the state government - led by the Congress party - may have sanctioned her release to try and stop the BJP from making political capital out of her imprisonment.

Ms Bharti's arrest was followed by widespread protests by the BJP during which the opposition leader, LK Advani, was briefly detained.

Ms Bharti was accused of murder and inciting communal violence. She resigned as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh before her arrest.