Ironically, the only one in favour of Goel is party national president Rajnath Singh, who continues to favour the formula of collective leadership under the Delhi unit president Goel.
Sources said at the next meeting of the party’s central parliamentary board scheduled around the third week of this month, in-charge for Delhi and former BJP national president Nitin Gadkari is going to strongly pitch for Dr Harshvardhan as the CM candidate. He is believed to enjoy the backing of both the leaders of opposition in parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and of party veteran LK Advani.
Harshvardhan, according to sources, enjoys the support of the majority of 11 active members in the central parliamentary board (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is also a member but never attends meetings due to failing health). The members of the committee who are reportedly favouring Harshvardhan also include the party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Venkaiah Naidu. However, three members Anant Kumar, Thawarchang Gehlot and Ramlal have not opened their cards and are likely to go with Rajnath Singh’s choice.
The date of the meeting, according to sources, would be decided after Arun Jaitley returns to Delhi from his foreign trip on the night of 21 October.
‘A couple of poll surveys have forced the party to reconsider its decision as Delhi BJP president is being targeted by Aam Admi Party (AAP) on issues of corruption. AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal may not be in a position to get enough seats to be the king maker but may spoil the BJP’s chances of getting a majority in Delhi,’ said a senior party leader.
Harshvardhan, sources said, has come up as the front runner for the post due to his clean image and acceptability among party cadres.
‘Majority of the members of the central parliamentary board are of the view that Goel is no match to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit,’ the source said. He added Goel’s lobby is strongly opposing any attempt to dethrone him but the party leaders now believe in order to form the next government in Delhi, they have no option but to find a way to convince Goel to let Harshvardhan be the face of BJP in the national capital.
Sources said at the next meeting of the party’s central parliamentary board scheduled around the third week of this month, in-charge for Delhi and former BJP national president Nitin Gadkari is going to strongly pitch for Dr Harshvardhan as the CM candidate. He is believed to enjoy the backing of both the leaders of opposition in parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and of party veteran LK Advani.
Harshvardhan, according to sources, enjoys the support of the majority of 11 active members in the central parliamentary board (former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is also a member but never attends meetings due to failing health). The members of the committee who are reportedly favouring Harshvardhan also include the party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Venkaiah Naidu. However, three members Anant Kumar, Thawarchang Gehlot and Ramlal have not opened their cards and are likely to go with Rajnath Singh’s choice.
The date of the meeting, according to sources, would be decided after Arun Jaitley returns to Delhi from his foreign trip on the night of 21 October.
‘A couple of poll surveys have forced the party to reconsider its decision as Delhi BJP president is being targeted by Aam Admi Party (AAP) on issues of corruption. AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal may not be in a position to get enough seats to be the king maker but may spoil the BJP’s chances of getting a majority in Delhi,’ said a senior party leader.
Harshvardhan, sources said, has come up as the front runner for the post due to his clean image and acceptability among party cadres.
‘Majority of the members of the central parliamentary board are of the view that Goel is no match to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit,’ the source said. He added Goel’s lobby is strongly opposing any attempt to dethrone him but the party leaders now believe in order to form the next government in Delhi, they have no option but to find a way to convince Goel to let Harshvardhan be the face of BJP in the national capital.