The Hindu : New Delhi News : Goel’s resignation rejected

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 07, 2007
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New Delhi

Goel’s resignation rejected

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Vijay Goel

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh has rejected the resignation by party national secretary Vijay Goel who had put in his papers last month to protest against alleged rigging in party elections in Delhi.

According to sources, Mr. Singh while rejecting the resignation of the two-time national secretary directed him to work at the post. Mr. Goel would now be leaving for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh for electioneering. The BJP president is learnt to have decided on Mr. Goel’s continuation in the party post after a delegation of senior party leaders from Delhi met him. He is understood to have told the delegation that all decisions pertaining to the party in Delhi would be taken in consultation with senior leaders.

Confirming that his resignation had been rejected, Mr. Goel said he would continue to work as a disciplined party soldier.

The former Union Minister had submitted his resignation last month after Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan had been asked to continue in the post following postponement of the elections to the post. Mr. Goel had accused certain senior party leaders in Delhi of indulging in rigging in the party elections.

He had also pointed out that the extension granted to Dr. Vardhan was against the spirit of the party constitution as no president was supposed to continue in the post after the expiry of the term.

The rejection of the resignation also assumes significance as it shows that Mr. Singh, who was supporting Mr. Goel’s candidature for the party post, was still backing him.

On the other hand, it also reflects on the intra-party squabbles in which South Delhi MP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra has emerged as the strongest leader from the other side.

In the party polls, Prof. Malhotra had aligned with people close to former Chief Minister late Sahib Singh Verma and candidates backed by him had won in most of the blocks and districts.

He is also understood to have been instrumental in ensuring that Mr. Goel was not nominated president of the State unit.

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