Even though Delhi is not on the agenda of Tuesday’s meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party central election committee, sources in the party’s Delhi unit said on Monday that the first list of candidates for the upcoming elections is likely to be discussed and announced soon.
After last week’s marathon meeting at Delhi poll in-charge Nitin Gadkari’s house, the party functionaries have short-listed candidates for 45 of the 70 Assembly constituencies, according to sources.
‘Amicable discussion’
Responding to questions on whether there was infighting between ticket hopefuls, Delhi chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan said he was part of a very “amicable” and “open and healthy” discussion at Mr. Gadkari’s house that lasted close to nine hours last Thursday.
“All leaders are working together to ensure the victory of the party. There is neither any turbulence now nor any trouble in the past,” said Dr. Vardhan, adding that he has had a cordial relationship with Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel for many years.
Among the prominent constituencies from which senior party leaders are hoping to contest from are Greater Kailash (GK), Rohini, Malviya Nagar, Vishwas Nagar, Patparganj and Tri-Nagar.
Likely contest
In the GK area, senior leader and overseas convenor of party affairs Vijay Jolly is pitted against Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly V.K. Malhotra’s son Ajay Malhotra.
Former Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta is interested in contesting from the Rohini constituency, which has a sitting party MLA, Jai Bhagwan Aggarwal.
While Malviya Nagar may be a contest between former Mayor Aarti Mehra and South Corporation leader Satish Upadhyay, East Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar may see BJP vice-president Abhay Verma pitted against East Corporation Leader of House B.B. Tyagi.
