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National

BJP puts on hold candidates’ selection

Special Correspondent

M.A. Naqvi

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party will launch on Sunday a weeklong protest the alleged offer to money to MPs to defy their party whip during the recent trust vote.

Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani will address a rally in Delhi on Sunday, while BJP president Rajnath Singh will go to Rameswaram on August 1 and to Lucknow the next day.

The former Union Minister, Jaswant Singh, will address a meeting in Chennai on Monday. A large number of party leaders will participate in this exercise up to August 2, vice-president M.A. Naqvi said here on Saturday.

Mr. Naqvi alleged that “power brokers” had invested Rs. 600 crore to save the government and now they would be looking at getting their money back with interest. The bhanda phod abhiyan (expose the truth campaign) agitation would be held in all State capitals.

While BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra lamented that “eight of our MPs had sold themselves out,” Mr. Naqvi said the process of selection of candidates for the next Lok Sabha election, which had begun, was put on hold. For, there was rethinking on the question of checking the credentials of potential candidates.

“Earlier we used to give 50 per cent marks for ‘personality’ and 25 per cent each for party and principles, now we plan to keep only 25 per cent for personality,” Mr. Naqvi said. He explained “personality” as the candidate’s ability to win an election.

“Rethinking” means State units have been asked to revise their lists of candidates and a meeting of the Central Election Committee, scheduled for Monday, has been postponed indefinitely.

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