Harsh Vardhan named BJP's Delhi CM candidate for assembly polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday named former health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan as its chief ministerial candidate for the December 4 Delhi state assembly polls.

BJP President Rajnath Singh formally announced Dr. Harsh Vardhan's name at a press conference here. The latter is a four-time MLA.

The decision was taken at a BJP Parliamentary Board meeting here today, at which senior leaders like Lal Krishna Advani and Sushma Swaraj were present among others.

The 58-year-old E.N.T specialist will now lock horns with three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit of the Congress and Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The BJP chose Dr. Harsh Vardhan, who played a large role in the national pulse polio campaign as the Health Minister, ahead of Delhi BJP President Vijay Goel.

The BJP believes Dr. Harsh Vardhan has a clean and non-controversial image, among citizens, which could attract votes for the party.

When the BJP Government was in power in Delhi between 1993 and 1998, he served in various capacities in the state cabinet, including as health, law and education minister.