BJP unsure about Delhi polls, may hold it in February

NEW DELHI: The indecision over holding of assembly election in Delhi is being seen as a sign of nervousness on the part of BJP when it comes to facing the electorate despite its sterling performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. The 'Modi wave', which helped the party notch up a 7-0 win in the capital, seems to be ebbing with the party keeping open all its options, including those of government formation and possible extension of President's rule.

BJP president Amit Shah has initiated consultations on the subject. A final decision will be taken soon. Senior party leaders say the recent Uttarakhand assembly bypoll results, in which BJP didn't win any of the three seats, must be taken into consideration before a decision is reached.

"Local factors play a crucial role in assembly elections," said a senior BJP leader, while explaining the reason for the party's poor performance in Uttarakhand. "The party has to analyze all pros and cons before coming to a decision on Delhi. In the Delhi budget, the central government has allocated funds for several schemes which will fix a lot of problems. We need some time to reach out to people and tell them about our schemes," said a senior leader.

The Delhi BJP is divided over early elections. With chances of government formation appearing bleak and a large number of state leaders, including MLAs, opposing the idea, sources say election in February 2015 is being seriously considered.

The state unit is divided over the issue of election-preparedness. While some feel it is all set to face the polls, many others believe the party needs time to strengthen its organizational structure. Frequent changes in state leadership-Satish Upadhyay is the third Delhi BJP chief in the last one year-has weakened the party's organizational setup. But Upadhyay says it is ready for elections. "We are not nervous about contesting election. The state unit will follow the decision of the central leadership. We're prepared for all situations. The matter is pending with the lieutenant governor," he said.

Within days of taking over as Delhi unit chief, Upadhyay has started raising local issues such as water shortage, appointment of guest teachers in government schools, and safety of women and people from the northeastern states in a bid to achieve the crucial people connect. He has also directed local units to aggressively publicize the budgetary provisions for Delhi.