Hema in no mood to test people's love

NEW DELHI: With Rajya Sabha member and veteran Bollywood actress Hema Malini declining BJP offer to contest Lok Sabha polls from New Delhi, city mayor Arti Mehra has emerged as the front-runner for the party ticket from the seat.

Even though surveys commissioned by the party had put Hema Malini on top of the list of prospective candidates for the constituency, where she was placed ahead of party general secretary Vijay Goel and Arti Mehra, Ms Malini politely turned down the offer, saying she���d rather concentrate on soliciting votes for the party all across the city.

If she manages to get the party���s nod, Ms Mehra will be battling it out with union minister Ajay Maken, who won the seat in 2004 by vanquishing former union minister Jagmohan.

Mr Goel, on the other hand, has no option but to shift to Chandni Chowk, where he���ll be crossing swords with another union minister Kapil Sibal. The other contender for the seat is MCD standing council chairman Vijender Gupta. Former union minister Sahib Singh Verma���s son Pravesh had surged past Janakpuri MLA and former leader of the opposition in Delhi assembly, Jagdish Mukhi, to emerge as the most powerful claimant for the newly-carved constituency of West Delhi.

Pravesh Verma���s name is also doing the rounds from the South Delhi constituency, where he faces stiff challenge from Tughlaqabad MLA Ramesh Bidhuri.

Former mayor Meera Kawariya is seen as the most formidable claimant for the North-West Delhi (reserved) constituency. If she gets the go-ahead, she���ll end up facing Krishna Tirath, the sitting MP from Karol Bagh (reserved) constituency. Former Test cricket opener Chetan Chauhan has raced past former Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan to emerge as top contender for East Delhi constituency.

Former East Delhi MP BL Sharma ���Prem��� has sought to stage a comeback in electoral politics by expressing his desire to enter the fray from the newly-created North-East Delhi.