Delhi Assembly polls: Vijay Goel objects as Harsh Vardhan's name does the rounds

NEW DELHI: A buzz about BJP toying with the idea of projecting former health minister Harsh Vardhan as its chief ministerial candidate in Delhi has brought out fissures in the party unit. State BJP chief Vijay Goel has conveyed his disappointment over the reports to central leaders.

Goel’s supporters on Thursday met former BJP President Nitin Gadkari, who is in charge of Delhi elections, to express apprehensions over the lack of clarity on the issue on the chief ministerial candidate and told him that Goel has been doing “good work”. Gadkari, according a leader, told the delegation that the party was yet to take a decision on the matter and maintained that the final call will be taken by the parliamentary board.

The party is faced with the option of either continuing with its faceless war in Delhi or projecting a chief ministerial candidate. “A decision has to be taken on which of these strategies would be riskier,” a party leader said. BJP’s election committee is expected to meet on October 20.

A last minute revolt could hurt the party, which faces three-time Congress Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit as well as the challenge from the newly-formed Aam Admi Party of Arvind Kejriwal.

“Opinion polls projected me against Sheila Dikshit. Look at the result of the opinion polls. My party is ahead and I am also ahead (in the race for chief ministerial candidate),” Vijay Goel said at a press conference on Wednesday amid reports of Vardhan being the chief ministerial choice of his party.