The chief minister of a key central Indian state has sought to resign after a court ordered her arrest in connection with a 10-year-old rioting case, the head of her Hindu nationalist party said yesterday.

Uma Bharti?s decision to quit as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh came less than 10 months after she led her Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to victory in state elections. State BJP leaders said 24 of 35 ministers in her government had also submitted their resignations to express their solidarity with Bharti, a Hindu holy woman who wears saffron robes and is known for her fiery speeches.

?She has requested the party to permit her to resign,? BJP president Venkaiah Naidu told a news conference. ?I have convened a meeting of the parliamentary board tomorrow evening ... to decide the future.? Early this month a court in southern India issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Bharti for leading Hindu fanatics in an attempt to hoist the Indian national flag at a disputed Muslim prayer ground defying police orders.

The incident sparked violence and six people were killed when police fired to disperse clashing mobs. Bharti is the main accused in the case.