The Bharatiya Janata Party has called a general strike in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka on Thursday to protest against former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti's arrest in Hubli, Karnataka in a 10-year-old case of rioting.

Uma Bharti was arrested in Hubli early on Wednesday and remanded to 14 days in judicial custody. She is likely to be lodged in a Belgaum jail.

A Hubli court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Bharti on August 3.

On August 14-16, 1994, way before the Bharatiya Janata Party came to hold the reins of power at the Centre, Bharti led an agitation and hoisted the Tricolour at the Idgah Maidan in Hubli.

Since the ground was disputed, and the BJP activists had defied an order banning assembly at the spot, a criminal case was filed against Bharti and 21 others.

The BJP has also decided to take out 'Tiranga Yatra' from Hubli to Jalianwala Baug in Amritsar.