No LS poll ticket for sitting MLAs: BJP

Update: 2014-03-13 23:42 GMT
The BJP has closed its door to MLAs, in their bid to receive party tickets for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. However, the party has considered fielding two councillors in the city for the upcoming general elections.

According to sources, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) mayor Sarita Choudhary and former chairman of standing committee from North DMC Yogendra Chandolia are strong contenders for party tickets from South Delhi and North West Delhi respectively. The party’s top brass are also burning the midnight oil to create a fine balance in their list of candidates amongst various communities and interest groups in the city.

‘I have withdrawn my claim for South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency as the party is not willing to field sitting MLAs,’ said Ramesh Bidhuri, MLA from Tuglakabad. Bidhuri had contested from South Delhi in the last Lok Sabha elections but lost by the lowest margin among the seven seats in the city.

Besides Rambir Singh Bidhuri, MLA from Badarpur assembly seat, was also seen as a strong contender for the South Delhi seat. ‘I will abide by the party’s decision’, said Rambir Singh Bidhuri.

According to highly placed sources, the party had earlier planned on fielding one or two sitting MLAs. However increasing numbers of ticket-seeking MLAs had forced the party to close the door on them.

‘Initially, we had MLAs staking claim for South Delhi and West Delhi. But, today we have 2-3 MLAs or ex-MLAs seeking tickets for each of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the city,’ said a senior party leader. Among the MLAs who were lobbying hard for L S nomination are, Jagdish Mukhi from West Delhi, Nand Kishore Garg from Chandni Chowk, Harsh Vardhan from East Delhi, and former MLA from Delhi Cant Karan Singh Tanwar from New Delhi.

In 2009 BJP had fielded two sitting MLAs, Jagdish Mukhi from West Delhi and Ramesh Bidhuri from South Delhi. The party, which had fielded a sitting councilor, Vijender Gupta from Chandni Chowk may field two councillors this time, namely Sarita Choudhary and Yogender Chandolia.

For the South Delhi seat Sarita Choudhary and Anil Jain are seen as contenders. However three names are making the rounds for North West Delhi seat, which is reserved under SC/ST category. They are Yogender Chandolia, former MP Anita Arya and new entrant in the party Udit Raj.

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