After declaration of Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate for 2014, the pressure on the BJP to declare its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections is growing.
According to sources, senior BJP and RSS leaders had a brainstorming session on the issue, soon after the announcement of Modi’s candidature.
‘The party has earlier decided to go to the polls as “Team BJP” but now the situation has changed completely. Out of the four crucial states going to polls by the end of the year, the party has declared CM candidate for all but Delhi,’ said a senior leader of the BJP.
According to sources, RSS leaders who played a crucial role in projecting Modi as the prime ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha elections, are trying hard to declare former city BJP president Harshvardhan’s name. Harshvardhan, with a clean image and global experience and recognition because of his work on polio campaign, enjoys support of RSS but the present city BJP president Vijay Goela is considered close to party’s national president Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders. According to sources, Harshvardhan also enjoys the backing of Modi.
‘There are at least four leaders eyeing the post in Delhi — leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly VK Malhotra, former city BJP president Vijender Gupta, Goel and Harshvardhan.