Eyeing a return to power in Delhi after a gap of 15 years, the BJP on Wednesday said it will announce its Chief Ministerial candidate ‘soon’ for the Assembly polls slated for November. Party’s Delhi election in-charge Nitin Gadkari said BJP Parliamentary Board will take a decision on the Chief Ministerial candidate.
“We want to finalise the Chief Ministerial candidate as soon as possible. The BJP Parliamentary Board will make a final decision on the issue,” Gadkari said. In the wake of the reports that former Delhi Health Minister Harsh Vardhan could be BJP’s candidate for the top post, the former BJP president said no name has been finalised yet.
“No decision has been made so far. The consultation process is on. I am also holding consultation with senior Delhi BJP leaders,” Gadkari said.
Party sources said Vardhan, who is considered close to RSS, is a front runner as party’s Chief Ministerial candidate as he has a clean image and could be acceptable to all warring factions.
However, Vardhan said he was not aware of the issue and has not been informed about such a move. “Candidature for the CM post will be decided by the Parliamentary Board. I have no information in this regard,” he said.
Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel said the party will take a decision at an ‘appropriate time’. However, sources said the party will announce its Chief Ministerial candidate soon as delaying it may create confusion among the party workers.
The BJP had announced VK Malhotra’s name as its candidate for the top post just ahead of the 2008 Assembly polls. He said top central leaders are aware of “discontent” among party leaders about the style of functioning of Goel.
Malhotra, former BJP Chief Vijender Gupta, Vardhan, former Mayor Aarti Mehra and a number of senior Delhi BJP leaders have expressed their displeasure over Goel’s functioning.
However, Goel said there was “no discontent” among the leaders and everybody was working unitedly to ensure victory of the party in the Assembly polls.“There is no infighting in the party. All the leaders are working together to ensure victory of the party,” Goel said. The Delhi BJP chief had a meeting with Gadkari earlier in the day where various issues relating to the party’s preparations for the elections were discussed.