Delhi polls: BJP to seek vote in name of Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal may throw repeated challenges to BJP to declare its chief ministerial hopeful, but the saffron party has virtually decided not to name a candidate and go to polls riding on the Modi wave, achievements of the NDA government and its impressive performance in state elections since May. Although many BJP leaders told ET that the final call will be taken by PM Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, there are indications that CM will be chosen after the polls if the party gets the numbers in the 70-member assembly.

"BJP has decided not to name a CM candidate for the Delhi assembly polls. But the CM will be from among the MLAs," a party legislator said. There seems to be no clarity on who will be CM in case BJP gets the numbers. State unit chief Satish Upadhyay, Jagdish Mukhi, Harsh Vardhan, Meenakshi Lekhi, Smriti Irani and even Kiran Bedi are being talked about among the hopefuls. While Upadhyay may lose out as BJP allows only 'one man, one post', Mukhi is 72 and the cut-off for ministers and CMs is 75 years.