The BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi elections, Dr Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said the BJP would declare its first list of candidates in three to four days. He indicated the meeting of the core committee for finalising the tickets will be convened in a couple of days and the first list might be announced before Diwali.
Vardhan also emphasised on promoting new faces, including women and youth in the December 4 elections. “We are in the final stage of ticket disbursal. I am hopeful the first list of candidates will be announced before Diwali. We are also working out the modalities for seat sharing with the Akalis. So far no formal discussion has taken place. We will sort this issue soon enough,” he said.
Vardhan said the party is also likely to prepare its manifesto in a few days even as the same would be released just ahead of the polls. He, however, said there would be one comprehensive manifesto unlike planned earlier to have separate constituency-wise manifestos for each Assembly segment. Elaborating on the party’s campaigning for the polls, the CM candidate said BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi would be addressing more rallies in the Capital but the schedule was yet to be firmed up.
“We have already sent our request to him. We are awaiting confirmation. Once received, his schedule will be decided accordingly,” he said, interacting with media at Delhi BJP office. Over questions of ‘too many’ restrictions imposed by the Election Commission (EC), Vardhan said he personally approved them but maintained that the same should not be done to ‘benefit’ a particular party. “I welcome the restrictions imposed on political parties for free and fair elections; however, there should not be a prejudice against any candidate or party,” he said.
The BJP leader also sought from the EC better publicity of the rules and regulations, the dos and the dont’s. “Most rules pertaining to canvassing and restrictions are not clear to party workers resulting in frequent violations of the model code of conduct (MCC). For greater clarity, the EC should broadcast the rules in a more effective manner,” Vardhan said.
He also took a swipe at Delhi Government for failing to curtail prices of onions, fruits and vegetables. He said the Government’s decision to sell onions from mobile vans was mere ‘show’ and that the Government should focus instead on finding a permanent solution to rising prices. “Onion is just a metaphor. The reality is that prices of all vegetables and fruits have gone through the roof. Micro-level mechanism is the need of the hour to curb price rise,” Vardhan added.