The Hindu : New Delhi News : Khurana wants to fade away in a saffron hue

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Saturday, Mar 29, 2008
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New Delhi

Khurana wants to fade away in a saffron hue

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Veteran Madan Lal Khurana is set to return to his parent party BJP.

NEW DELHI: While for former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana a return to the Bharatiya Janata Party fold is now more a matter of having the party colour around him, his imminent return this time round has really not enthused his former party and ministerial colleagues in the Capital.

Senior local leaders here insist that Mr. Khurana, who was once a force to contend with in Delhi politics, has not only outlived his utility but by fielding 200 candidates of his own in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections in 2007 had also “exposed his capabilities” since none of them had managed to win despite the size of the segments having been reduced to just about 50,000 each.

“His return marks the adoption of a compassionate approach by the party’s Central leadership,” said a senior leader, adding that Mr. Khurana had for the past one year been regularly meeting BJP president Rajnath Singh, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and South Delhi MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra.

“Since he gave in writing that he would not seek any party post, was withdrawing all allegations levelled against senior party leaders and gave an unconditional apology to the party leadership for his utterances of the past, the Central leaders consulted the Delhi unit leaders on the matter. As the Delhi leaders did not have any major objection, it was decided that Mr. Khurana would be taken back into the party so that he may have access to the party flag till the end, but he will not have any major role to play in the party,” said a senior leader.

Mr. Khurana, who had initially joined Uma Bharti’s Bharatiya Janshakti Party after leaving the BJP, had tried to get back into the BJP before the MCD polls too but had then been told to just keep a low profile for some more time. However, he felt dejected and fielded his own candidates during the MCD polls.

Thereafter he also hobnobbed with various parties including the Bahujan Samaj Party but to no avail. The desperation had even taken him to some senior Congress leaders in Delhi.

Finally, though, he realised that he would not find peace till he got back into the BJP. And his cherished dream is about to be realised soon.

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