Other States - New Delhi   

BJP revolt shows no signs of blowing away

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV.7. Despite the best efforts of the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party to play down the revolt by a section of partymen in the New Delhi parliamentary constituency and also in areas of East Delhi, the crisis showed no signs of blowing away. Even as the BJP offered to revoke the suspension of the veteran party leader and New Delhi district president, Kedar Nath Sachdeva, the latter remained firm and termed the selection of candidates for the five Assembly segments in the district as "arbitrary''.

Strongly opposing the candidature of Poonam Azad from Gole Market, Mr. Sachdeva, who reached the BJP's Pandit Pant Marg office with his band of supporters, refused to bow down to party pressure and declared that he stood by whatever he had stated on Thursday. The efforts by the party general secretary, Pawan Sharma, to cool down matters in the presence of mediapersons did not prove effective as Mr. Sachdeva continued his tirade against the wrong selection of candidates and overruling of the decisions taken by the New Delhi district committee. Interestingly, feeling that this "virtual revolt'' could damage the party, BJP leaders today ensured a meeting between the national party spokesman, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Mr. Sachdeva. However, the meeting did not have much impact on a defiant Mr. Sachdeva, who continued with his tirade against those who have imposed candidates from the top.

Asked if the party had agreed to revoke his suspension, Mr. Sachdeva said this question should be posed to those who had announced it in the first place. "I stand by all that had been stated by me. The selection of candidates is arbitrary and the district committee was not even consulted on the finalisation, which is unfortunate. I will be meeting the party president, Venkaiah Naidu, late this evening to sort out the matter. But I maintain that many of the five candidates will not win in the Assembly polls,'' he asserted.

Mr. Sachdeva said he had sought a change in the list of candidates in the Delhi district and was looking forward to the same by the party leadership. But senior party leaders maintained that no changes would take place and the list will remain as it is. In fact, Mr. Sachdeva had announced that he would hold a meeting in front of the Pandit Pant Marg office of the BJP but after having talks with senior party leaders in the morning, it was decided to allow him to use the party office premises. Accompanied by his supporters, Mr. Sachdeva did not mince words in criticising the "wrong'' selection of candidates.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• BJP revolt shows no signs of blowing away
• Khurana targets DPCC chief
• Dubai visa processing centre opened in Delhi
• Monthly magazine released
• UNDP lauds reduction of pollution in Capital

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu