Bangalore, Aug. 26: BJP leaders will stream in next week to back up the state unit in the national flag campaign and address rallies in support of Uma Bharti, now in judicial custody in Dharwad.

Among the leaders scheduled to arrive here and sit in dharna from September 1 are Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha .K. Advani, BJP chief M. Venkaiah Naidu and former Union ministers Murli Manohar Joshi and Sushma Swaraj.

They will address rallies here and in Hubli through the first week of next month. “Our leaders will court arrest here or in Hubli to draw the attention of the people to the Congress’ conspiracy against Uma Bhartiji. Sushmaji will meet her in Dharwad in a day or two,” party sources said.

The sources added that the party would announce the date for the launch of the Tiranga yatra soon after the release of the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister from custody.

Today, state BJP leaders Ananth Kumar, leader of Opposition B.S. Yediyurappa and several legislators courted arrest in Bangalore. The bandh called by the party received good response in Hubli and the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada with legislators leading processions against the state government.

In Hubli, more than 400 police personnel patrolled the city to enforce prohibitory orders till this evening. In Bangalore, the state government deployed sufficient force around educational institutions and government offices to thwart any attempt to force their closure.

Chief minister Dharam Singh, who reviewed the security arrangements, charged the BJP with “politicising” criminal cases against the former chief minister. The party was linking the cases with the national flag issue with the sole intention of gaining political mileage. Uma was charged with rioting and attempt to murder and not for unfurling the Tricolour on Idgah Maidan in Hubli on Independence day in 1994, he said here.

“I also come from a patriotic family. Nobody needs to learn lessons from BJP leaders on patriotism and respecting the national flag,” Singh said.

Police sources said the government had decided to detain Uma at the guesthouse of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, than shift her to Belgaum. The government would issue an order in view of her health, the sources said.