Delhi polls: Harsh Vardhan likely to be BJP's CM nominee

 Ending uncertainty, BJP is likely to announce the name of former Health Minister Harsh Vardhan as its Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi Assembly polls notwithstanding strong opposition from its city unit head Vijay Goel.

Sources in the party said a decision on Vardhan's name is likely to be taken by the party's parliamentary board today.

They said Goel has already been informed about the party's move to nominate the four-time MLA for the top post.

Goel had reportedly threatened to resign from the post of Delhi unit president when told about the likelihood of Harsh Vardhan being made the Chief Ministerial candidate.
Goel had on Monday sought an early decision on the issue but remained non-committal on supporting Vardhan if the former health minister was named for the post.

Goel had met top brass of BJP including Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi and Sushma Swaraj on Sunday and expressed his serious opposition to Vardhan's candidature, arguing nearly 10 opinion polls had projected him as the most popular face for BJP's chief ministerial candidate.

A number of Delhi BJP leaders have already conveyed to the party leadership that they should announce the candidature of Vardhan, saying he has wider acceptability among people, party leaders and workers.

The internal squabbles in Delhi BJP over the issue have taken its toll on the party's campaign with a number of leaders reluctant to join the door-to-door campaign without a settlement of the leadership issue.

A number of senior Delhi leaders conveyed to the central leadership that a decision on the issue must be announced at the earliest as the delay has affected the campaigning.

Asked about the atmosphere in the party over the issue, Vardhan said, "Individuals and positions are not important. What is important is ideology and vision of the party."

He said there was no division in the party and that it was totally united.