The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delhi BJP awaiting its new president

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 05, 2007
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New Delhi

Delhi BJP awaiting its new president

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Several names doing the rounds

Vijay Goel being backed by party president Rajnath Singh
Jagdish Mukhi, Nand Kishore Garg in the fray, say sources

NEW DELHI: With elections to a large number of its block and districts in Delhi over, workers in the Bharatiya Janata Party are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the name who would lead the party into the Assembly elections due in 2008. While there are some front-runners for the post, scene is still unclear on who would bag it. The party workers are expecting an announcement later this month.

According to sources in the party, the name of national secretary and former Union Minister Vijay Goel was being backed by none other than BJP president Rajnath Singh and general secretary in-charge Ram Lal. However, his name is being vehemently opposed by South Delhi MP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra.

The argument being forwarded against Mr. Goel is that if he is projected for the post of president, when the Congress has got its Delhi-unit president J.P. Agarwal also from the Bania community, then the party can also consider the names of senior leaders Nand Kishore Garg and Shyam Lal Garg.

Also, Mr. Malhotra has of late joined hands with the family members of late Sahib Singh Verma and many of the candidates backed by him for the post of zila and mandal have won. On the other hand, certain candidates backed by Mr. Goel failed to win even in his Chandni Chowk constituency. But despite this, Mr. Goel’s supporters believe he is one person who would rally around various MLAs, come out on the streets over various issues and give the Congress Government in Delhi a tough time in the run-up to the elections.

The other names that are in the race for president of Delhi BJP include Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Jagdish Mukhi. However, he enjoys little support in the party and his critics consider him too close to the Delhi Government for comfort. With the names of other senior leaders such as former Minister S. P. Ratawal and Harsharan Singh Balli not even being considered, there is also talk of Dr. Vardhan being given an extension at least up to the Assembly polls.

But no matter who finally emerges as the next president of Delhi BJP, the party workers are of the view that there is a need to campaign together aggressively if the party is to do well in the Assembly polls.

“There is no support from the Delhi party leadership to the workers or the MLAs at the moment. Also, the MLAs are acting on their own and there is no one to rein them in,” said a senior party leader.

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