Hema Malini BJP front-runner for the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency

NEW DELHI: Bollywood���s ���dream girl��� , Hema Malini, has emerged as the BJP front-runner for the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. Surveys commissioned by the party have put her on top of the list of prospective candidates for the constituency, where she was placed ahead of party general secretary Vijay Goel and Delhi mayor Arti Mehra.

Ms Malini, who���s presently a nominated member of Rajya Sabha, is seen as a noncontroversial figure. Within the party, she is seen as hard-working , dedicated campaigner, and is considered the most formidable challenger to Union minister of state for urban development, Ajay Maken.

BJP���s central election committee is likely to clear the names of its candidates on Friday from all the seven Lok Sabha seats from the city. If the veteran actress does indeed get the party���s nod to enter the race from New Delhi, then Mr Goel will be asked to contest from 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. Janakpuri MLA and former opposition leader in Delhi assembly, Jagdish Mukhi, has emerged as the most powerful claimant for the newly-carved West Delhi seat.

Former union minister Saheb Singh Verma���s son Pravesh is also in the reckoning from the constituency. Pravesh Verma���s name is also doing the rounds from the South Delhi constituency, where he faces stiff competition from Tughlaqabad MLA Ramesh Bidhuri. With Gurjars forming the single largest chunk of the population, the latter just might inch ahead in the race.

Former mayor Meera Kawariya is seen as the most formidable claimant for the North-West Delhi (reserved) seat. If she does get the go-ahead , she���ll end up facing Krishna Tirath, the sitting MP from Karol Bagh (reserved) constituency.

Former Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan had emerged as the top contender for the East Delhi seat, represented in the 14th Lok Sabha by Sandeep Dikshit. Former Test cricket opener Chetan Chauhan���s name was also in the running from this 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 seat. Even Kirti Azad���s name is doing the rounds from this seat.