<p> At least one of the BJP’s candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi would be a woman while none of the 31 city legislators is expected to make it to the final list of parliamentary poll nominees, said party sources on Monday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The party would ideally want former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi to be the lone woman candidate. <br /><br />In case things do not work out with Bedi, the BJP may consider fielding national spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman from a Lok Sabha seat in the April 10 polls in city, said a party officer. <br /><br />Chances in four seats<br /><br />Sources said party sees its chances strong on four seats and on the rest the result would depend on its success in wooing Muslim voters, who form a significant chunk of the electorate in three constituencies. <br /><br />Muslim voter-dominated seats of Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi and East Delhi seats are posing a challenge before the BJP strategists over selection of winnable candidates. Veteran journalist M J Akbar’s name was among the probables from Chandni Chowk, said a BJP leader. <br /><br />The BJP’s internal surveys have indicated that the party has an advantage in New Delhi, South Delhi, North West Delhi and West Delhi constituencies.<br /><br />Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan, himself a legislator from Krishna Nagar, has denied being a possible party candidate from the East Delhi parliamentary constituency. “I am not contesting,” he said.<br /><br />He, however, refused to reveal the party’s stand on whether it would field any of the city legislators in the parliamentary election.<br /><br />A source in the BJP said: “The party’s strength in the Assembly may dip if a legislator wins the Lok Sabha seat. This would, in a way, reduce the BJP’s ability to play a role in the formation of the next Delhi government.”<br /><br />Party leaders said the seniors may not rush into announcing all the seven names of candidates in one go. <br /><br />“They want to wait and know the Congress candidates from South Delhi, Chandni Chowk and West Delhi seats. A small adjustment in the final line up could swing the battle in BJP’s favour in these seats,” said a leader, hinting at the possibility of the rival party dropping some of the seven sitting Delhi MPs.<br /><br />The hidden power of the Aam Aadmi Party to have a bearing on the result is also a factor playing on the minds of BJP candidates.<br /><br />“Their South Delhi candidate, Col Devendra Sehrawat, is strong but in East Delhi the nominee, Rajmohan Gandhi, may not give a fight to his rivals,” said a BJP leader.</p>
<p> At least one of the BJP’s candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi would be a woman while none of the 31 city legislators is expected to make it to the final list of parliamentary poll nominees, said party sources on Monday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The party would ideally want former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi to be the lone woman candidate. <br /><br />In case things do not work out with Bedi, the BJP may consider fielding national spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman from a Lok Sabha seat in the April 10 polls in city, said a party officer. <br /><br />Chances in four seats<br /><br />Sources said party sees its chances strong on four seats and on the rest the result would depend on its success in wooing Muslim voters, who form a significant chunk of the electorate in three constituencies. <br /><br />Muslim voter-dominated seats of Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi and East Delhi seats are posing a challenge before the BJP strategists over selection of winnable candidates. Veteran journalist M J Akbar’s name was among the probables from Chandni Chowk, said a BJP leader. <br /><br />The BJP’s internal surveys have indicated that the party has an advantage in New Delhi, South Delhi, North West Delhi and West Delhi constituencies.<br /><br />Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan, himself a legislator from Krishna Nagar, has denied being a possible party candidate from the East Delhi parliamentary constituency. “I am not contesting,” he said.<br /><br />He, however, refused to reveal the party’s stand on whether it would field any of the city legislators in the parliamentary election.<br /><br />A source in the BJP said: “The party’s strength in the Assembly may dip if a legislator wins the Lok Sabha seat. This would, in a way, reduce the BJP’s ability to play a role in the formation of the next Delhi government.”<br /><br />Party leaders said the seniors may not rush into announcing all the seven names of candidates in one go. <br /><br />“They want to wait and know the Congress candidates from South Delhi, Chandni Chowk and West Delhi seats. A small adjustment in the final line up could swing the battle in BJP’s favour in these seats,” said a leader, hinting at the possibility of the rival party dropping some of the seven sitting Delhi MPs.<br /><br />The hidden power of the Aam Aadmi Party to have a bearing on the result is also a factor playing on the minds of BJP candidates.<br /><br />“Their South Delhi candidate, Col Devendra Sehrawat, is strong but in East Delhi the nominee, Rajmohan Gandhi, may not give a fight to his rivals,” said a BJP leader.</p>
