Councillors see polls as godsend to rise through party ranks
After a lion’s share in the rejig of Delhi BJP’s unit, councillors and young leaders of the new team are now hopeful of getting tickets in the upcoming Assembly elections. Although the team was formed with the idea of keeping MlAs free for elections, these councillors are seeking preference considering their “groundwork” in the respective constituencies.
For several councillors of the three BJP-led municipal corporations, these elections would be a golden opportunity to rise in ranks within the party as earlier they were strictly denied the chance to fight the 2013 polls. leaders within the saffron party are not denying such claims as it is being seen as a possibility in at least some constituencies. The reason is that the Delhi BJP’s existing top leadership itself consists of four councillors — president Satish Upadhyay, general secretaries Ashish Sood and Rekha Gupta and one of the party’s vice president Rajni Abbi. Being a former municipal councillor from Malviya Nagar ward, Upadhyay voluntarily had inducted nearly a dozen councillors into his new team of office bearers.
These councillors, who are currently holding key positions in the Delhi cadre, will have a significant say in the party’s initial selection of candidates. Besides, they are also expected to undertake major organisational tasks over the next few months that are crucial for the party from elections point of view.
According to sources, the saffron party already has around a dozen sitting councillors in the three civic bodies that are considered strong contenders for the Assembly tickets. To start with, Satish Upadhyay himself is likely to contest from Malviya Nagar seat which in the 2013 polls went to Aarti Mehra.
Among others, the names of senior councillors Sarita Chaudhary, Yogendra Chandolia, Rekha Gupta, Ashish Sood and Subhash Arya are doing the rounds. It is pertinent to note that all of them were denied tickets in the previous election. Party insiders said Arya is seeking ticket from Rajouri Garden while Rekha Gupta might pitch for Tri Nagar seat. Sood is likely to claim Janakpuri and North Delhi Mayor Yogendra Chandolia may ask for the reserved Karol Bagh seat. While Chaudhary is contending for Sangam Vihar, Standing Committee Chairman in East Delhi Municipal Corporation, BB Tyagi wants to fight laxmi Nagar seat.
In 2008, the BJP, as a policy, had denied tickets to the councillors, which sources said is not likely to be followed this time. In 2013 polls, the BJP had fielded six sitting councillors of which three had won.