With Delhi BJP president Dr Harsh Vardhan most likely to join Narendra Modi’s Cabinet at the Centre, lobbying has begun within the party for the president’s post.
A number of senior leaders are in the fray for occupying the top post as it would be a medium to project themselves as a contender for the chief ministerial candidature in the re-elections to the Delhi Assembly polls which is likely to be held in October this year. At least half-a-dozen senior Delhi BJP leaders are contending to become the party president that would be vacated if Harsh Vardhan is assigned a new job. Five-time MlA from Janakpuri Prof Jagdish Mukhi, former Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta and Delhi BJP vice-president Ashish Sood are the front-runners while senior leader Vijay Jolly and former Mayors Arti Mehra and Prithvi Raj Sahni are also making their bids to become the party president.
Jagdish Mukhi and Vijender Gupta are also learnt to have met RSS leaders at its Keshav Kunj office in the Capital recently. Sources said Mukhi has an edge over other aspirants as he is the senior most legislator besides being a party veteran. He also enjoys a good rapport with the RSS which, sources said, was an added advantage. Mukhi has a clean image and in eventuality of Vardhan moving to the Centre; he would also lay his claim on the chief ministerial candidature. Even during the 2013 Assembly polls, Mukhi was lobbying to become the party’s CM nominee.
Gupta, on the other hand, has been a former State unit president who successfully steered the party to victory in the 2012 municipal elections in all three corporations. In the previous Assembly polls, he had unsuccessfully contested against three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit from the New Delhi Assembly segment. like Vardhan, Gupta is an acceptable face among various factions within the party.
However, sources said, as a young emerging face, Ashish Sood could also be preferred by the top leadership over his senior colleagues. Currently as vice president and previously a general secretary, Sood marked his impression with successful campaign during the Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, former Delhi Mayor and BJP national secretary Arti Mehra has emerged as the sole woman contender for the party presidentship. Mehra was also a contender for the post in February last year but Vijay Goel was appointed the party president. Sources said Mehra’s claim for the post was based on the fact that the State BJP unit has never been headed by a woman leader.