BJP ends speculation, makes Satish Upadhyay Delhi chief

He is a senior leader with South Delhi civic body

Satish Upadhyay

The Bharatiya Janata Party appointed senior South Delhi Municipal Corporation leader Satish Upadhyay as the new president of its Delhi unit ending weeks of speculation as to who will succeed Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who went on to assume a Cabinet berth in the NDA government.

The party’s national president Rajnath Singh made the appointment which the BJP stated will be effective immediately. Confirming his appointment, Mr. Upadhyay told The Hindu that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari called him up to give the news and that he was awaiting a letter in this regard.

Two names doing rounds

Meanwhile, rumours were afloat in political circles that the BJP will stake claim to form the government in Delhi on Wednesday. “A Union Minister has been put in charge of Delhi and is desperately trying to form the government,” said a party source, but the lack of a solid chief ministerial nominee was hindering the process. Currently, two names are being considered: former Finance Minister Jagdish Mukhi and former Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel.

However, party sources said senior BJP leaders in the Centre are not keen on either of these names, but Prof. Mukhi is the preferred choice. The party leaders feel that if the party chooses to go in for fresh elections, Prof. Mukhi may not be the best choice as he is not considered a “dynamic and mass leader” like Dr. Vardhan was projected before the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections.

No clarity so far

While senior leaders have reservations about Mr. Goel too, the word in the party is that sitting Member of Parliament such as Meenakshi Lekhi will also not be considered. “Informal discussions have taken place within the RSS about the political situation in Delhi, but there is no clarity on the issue and no clear cut leader to take the party forward,” said a party source.

The party has been dilly-dallying over what is the best possible route to take on the political situation in Delhi.

“The party seems to be groping in the dark with multiple factions, some preferring to opt for fresh elections, while others urging the party to pull the numbers together to form the government,” a source in the party said. “Perhaps the only option that will remain is going in for fresh elections with the party not declaring a chief ministerial candidate,” he added.