Goel meets central leaders for CM-candidature

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi unit chief Vijay Goel Sunday met senior party leaders to stake claim to chief ministerial candidature for the Dec 4 assembly polls.

He also indicated his opposition to projecting his rival Harsh Vardhan for the post, party sources said.

They said Goel met party chief Rajnath Singh, party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, former party president Nitin Gadkari and other central leaders to convey his viewpoint on projecting chief ministerial candidate.

Goel met the leaders at BJP's 11 Ashoka Road headquarters in central Delhi ahead of the central election committee (CEC) meeting.

The sources said Goel spoke about the work done by him to improve the party's prospects in the assembly elections.

They said he conveyed that projecting former Delhi minister Harsh Vardhan for the post might impact workers' morale.

The sources said Goel also told the leaders it might be difficult for him to continue work with same gusto if his concerns were ignored.

Some of Goel's supporters shouted slogans demanding he be made the chief ministerial candidate.

Last week, Goel said: "As far as the CM candidate is concerned, I think the one who is more active should get the post."

BJP is in a dilemma over projecting a chief ministerial candidate for the assembly polls in Delhi. A section of the party feels that projecting Harsh Vardhan, with a clean image, will help the party as probity in public life is a key poll issue.

Goel's supporters have been saying that allegations levelled by adversaries against him have come unstuck and he should be rewarded for his organisational abilities.

Harsh Vardhan, who came to attend the CEC meeting, refused to comment. Incidentally, Goel is not a CEC member.

"I don't know anything about this (chief ministerial candidate issue). I came for the meeting," he said.

BJP has said any decision on projecting a chief ministerial candidate will be taken by the party's parliamentary board.