The most acceptable face in Delhi unit of Bharatiya Janata Party — Dr Harsh Vardhan — will lead the party in the national Capital in the upcoming general elections. BJP president Rajanth Singh on Wednesday appointed Vardhan as the new Delhi BJP president replacing Vijay Goel.
The change of guard comes at a crucial time when the elections are round the corner and the party has begun the process of candidate selection. The development came after Goel expressed his unwillingness to continue as the State unit president ever since his election to the Rajya Sabha recently.
An ENT surgeon by profession, Vardhan will hold charge of the Delhi unit for the second time after holding the post in 2006-2009. It was under his leadership that the party contested the 2008 Assembly Polls but lost to the Congress. Having associated with the RSS since his early days, Vardhan is also known to have a cordial relation with the top leadership of the BJP.
With Vardhan’s appointment, the formation of a new team of office bearers is also imminent. Party sources said it is very unlikely that Vardhan would continue with the set of office bearers appointed by Goel nearly a year ago. However, it will be a difficult task for Vardhan to strike coordination with party workers with his new team given a very short period of time ahead of the General Elections. The party has already begun the selection of candidates for the polls. The notification of the elections is likely to be issued in first week of March. Party BJP has said it would finalise its candidates on seven seats in Delhi by February 28.
However, the biggest challenge that lies ahead of Vardhan is steering the party to success in the Parliamentary polls. In the 2009 polls, the BJP had lost all seven seats to the Congress. But this time, the BJP would rely heavily on Vardhan to improve its performance and contribute to ‘Mission 272+’ for its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Besides selection of suitable candidates, he will be facing the challenge to bring together various factions within the party. However, Vardhan has got acceptability among all factions. Further, his ‘clean’ image also makes him the most popular BJP leader in the Delhi politics. Party leaders said it was his face that helped BJP significantly in emerging as the single largest party in the recently held Delhi Assembly Polls. Vardhan was party’s chief ministerial candidate in the elections.
Meanwhile, outgoing Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel has welcomed Vardhan’s appointment and expressed hope that the BJP would perform better under his leadership.
“I am confident that the BJP will be further strengthened in days to come under leadership of Dr Harsh Vardhan,” Goel said, while thanking his party members for their support during his stint as the president of Delhi BJP.