NEW DELHI: With a month left for the Delhi municipal polls that are due in April, the BJP may bring back in fray those who were dropped from the 2017 civic poll candidates’ list as well as those who put up a good fight yet lost in the 2020 Delhi assembly polls.
According to senior party leaders, those who were dropped from the list in 2017, as all new candidates were given tickets at that time while those who lost the state assembly polls, are all senior functionaries having won successive civic elections in the past.
“The central leadership will meet for discussions on final candidature after March 10 (when the results to the Uttar Pradesh assembly will be out). The party may consider fielding these candidates, as they have a good support base in their respective wards based on their work in the past and are familiar with the people in the area,” said a senior party leader.
The party’s core committee had met last month at the Delhi BJP office to chart out the poll strategy where it was discussed that the achievements of the central leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi besides those in the civic bodies be highlighted in the campaign.
Delhi BJP vice-president Virendra Sachdeva said that the campaign has begun and booth-level meetings are being held.
There are over 13,000 polling booths in Delhi. Central government schemes such as the Ujjwala Yojana, free ration to poor during the pandemic will be the major poll plank for the upcoming civic elections.
Besides, the party’s stance against the Delhi government’s new liquor policy, not providing funds due to the municipal corporations, corruption in DJB projects and poor state of city roads will be the major counter against the AAP.
He said that on Friday (March 4), the state unit of the party will launch ‘Janmat Sangrah’ (public opinion) – a week-long campaign on the liquor policy – across the 272 municipal wards in which it will install a liquor bottle-shaped box and ask people to share their views on the policy.
“People are fed up with liquor vends opening in residential areas, including near schools and religious places. BJP-run corporations have sealed a large number of these vends and will continue to do so. It is going to be our major poll plank. Besides, a meeting regarding poll issues including manifesto, candidates and preparedness will be done after March 10 only.,” said BJP vice-president.