Vijay Goel pipes down, stays in public eye

NEW DELHI: With the decision on BJP’s chief ministerial candidate hanging fire, the two contenders for the post — former health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and state president Vijay Goel – on Monday expressed their wish to have some clarity on the decision.

Vardhan, who has been evading the media, said in response to a repeated question that “people have a right to know their leader.” Goel, on the other hand, openly expressed his views at a press conference called by him outside “the party’s Delhi office” , a move that gave credence to rumours of Goel distancing himself from the post of state president if he was not the chosen one.

Sources said Goel chose a bigger hall for the press meet as he wanted to flaunt his strength before senior leaders – he had asked all office-bearers to turn up at the event. However, out of 15 office-bearers , only two made it to the dais and a few reached the venue a little late.

Interestingly, Goel, who till last week was vocal about being the most popular face of Delhi BJP and had hinted at being ahead in the race for chief ministerial candidate citing surveys , was a bid subdued on Monday. Amid indications that Vardhan may be named as the party nominee for the top post, Goel said he had never claimed to be a candidate for “any post” and that a final decision will be taken by the parliamentary board.

“I am not a candidate for any post. The parliamentary board will take a decision on the issue after seeking views of the party workers,” he said. A much humbler Goel added that in the past eight months he had neither named himself, nor anyone else for the post. His supporters, however, insisted that Goel was very much in the race as he had contributed significantly to strengthen the party after he was appointed Delhi BJP chief in February.

Asked about friction in the party over the issue and whether the central leadership was delaying taking a decision on the matter, he said, “All decisions relating to elections should be taken at the earliest.”

Meanwhile, Goel’s resignation rumours were raked up by a few senior leaders who have promptly lined up for the post of state president in case Goel resigns. By Monday noon, desperate leaders had started making calls and shooting mails to the media suggesting that the party should now select a “Punjabi leader of Delhi BJP” as acting state president.

Goel, however, maintained that he had never mentioned his resignation. Asked if he would support Dr Harsh Vardhan for the top job, Goel said “questions with “ifs” will be answered only after the “if” part is over.”