The BJP’s campaign for a Congress-free Delhi took off on Thursday with the party top brass attempting to put up a united face and making its leaders from the national Capital sing in one voice at a media event here. All top leaders of the Delhi BJP claimed they were united in their aim to oust the Sheila Dikshit Government and reports of differences were unsubstantiated.
Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, the officiating Prabhari for Delhi matters, made State president Vijay Goel, leader of Opposition Vijay Malhotra and former State chief Vijender Gupta share dais with Chief Ministerial candidate Dr Harsh Vardhan.
With party colleagues in arms, the practicing doctors promised to provide a “healing touch” to Delhi and bring about “radical changes” in governance. Vardhan identified giving a transparent, innovative and corruption-free administration as his priorities in the case of BJP coming to power.
“All the leaders and workers will work hard to oust the corrupt and ineffective Government. The Government has failed on all fronts. Poor people are living in a hellish situation. The city is in ICU and needs a healing touch,” Vardhan told reporters. He also reiterated his commitment to get full Statehood for Delhi.
Vardhan said he will try to limit public interface between the officials and people by putting in place the best possible e-governance model. He promised the best use of technology to end the power woes in the Capital.
Having played a crucial role in anointing Vardhan as the CM probable, Gadkari exuded confidence that BJP will achieve a record two-third victory in the Assembly polls. “The people of Delhi were in exile. But now the exile will end and the (BJP) Government will be formed. It will be a Ram Rajya,” he said.
Rejecting reports of infighting within the party, Goel, who lost the race for Chief Ministerial candidate, resolved to put all effort to make the party victorious and showered praise on Vardhan. “The party will fight unitedly to oust the corrupt Congress Government. The people of Delhi are fed up with the misrule of Congress. I am confident of our victory,” Goel said. He complimented Goel for accepting party’s decision “wholeheartedly” and said one chair cannot accommodate more than one person.
The BJP plans to build its campaign around the power woes faced by people, ‘backbreaking’ prices of essential commodities like vegetables, poor health and educational infrastructure, the CWG scam and pollution in the Yamuna.
But distribution of ticket to the satisfaction of every faction of Delhi remains the biggest concern for central leaders. November 16 is the last date for filing nomination for 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi, which goes to polls on December 4.
Gadkari said he was going through the consultation process to finalise the candidates for the election. Asked whether party will punish those found involved in anti-party activities, he said such a situation would not arise. “The party is totally united. I am confident of winning the election by two-thirds majority. During the campaign, we will emphasise on house-to-house campaigning,” he said.
The buzz about Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had created worries in the BJP camp initially, but the party is confident now that it would not make a difference. “I think they (AAP) are frustrated after Harsh Vardhan was named as our CM candidate. In the elections, such small parties come and go. No one should take them seriously,” Gadkari said, alleging that Congress was behind rising of AAP to drive a wedge in Opposition votes.