NEW DELHI: At least three Delhi MPs have voiced their willingness to lead the BJP in the national capital. However, two party leaders, representing a particular ethnic group, have put forward a demand that the new city BJP chief be picked from their community. The central party leadership has tasked national general secretary P Murlidhar Rao and women’s wing chief Vijay Rahatkar to look for a consensus candidate to the head the BJP’s Delhi unit.
The new chief will succeed Northeast Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari. Tiwari’s three-year term at the helm of the Delhi BJP ended in November. Rao and Rahatkar deliberated on several potential candidates for the post along with the key office bearers of the Delhi BJP, as well as MPs, MLAs, councillors and heads of all affiliated groups over two days at the Deendayal Research Institute at Jhandewalan. The meeting kicked off on Tuesday and culminated on Wednesday.
According to senior Delhi BJP functionaries, privy to discussions, a majority of leaders suggested that the charge of the Delhi unit be given to a leader who represents either the ‘baniya’ or ‘Punjabi’ community, which are considered the party’s traditional vote banks. However, some leaders urged Rao and Rahatkar to consider asking Tiwari to continue for another three-year term, as the party had fared well under his stewardship.
“The head of five morchas (associated group) reposed faith in Tiwari and said they wanted him to continue. However, two leaders said the party should go with whoever Siddharthan, general secretary (organisation), proposes for the post. Surprisingly, three sitting MPs also threw their hats into the ring,” said a Delhi leader. He said while names of experienced leaders were thrown around during the deliberations, a section of party leaders suggested elevation of Ravinder Gupta, general secretary of Delhi BJP and its youthwing president Sunil Yadav for the post. It is learnt that Rao and Rahatkar will submit their feedback to top leaders in the central leadership, as well as the Delhi BJP, in a day or two, and the name of the new Delhi chief maybe announced next week.