Goel reportedly insists on CM candidature

It is reported that Vijay Goel said on Sunday he'd resign as president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's city unit if he wasn't officially declared its chief ministerial candidate. There's only about a month to go for the legislative assembly election.

Harsh Vardhan, a former city party head, has been reported to be increasingly favoured for the CM's job if the party wins; the Congress party, in power for the past 15 years, is considered to be in trouble on re-election.

However, by late Sunday evening, Goel tried to downplay the incident and said, "Since I am not a member of the central election committee of the BJP, I was not to attend the meeting that took place in the evening. Therefore, the reports regarding my walking out and threat to resign are baseless."

Party sources say Goel came uninvited on Sunday evening to a meeting of seniors finalising tickets for the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh. It was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister and the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, national president Rajnath Singh, L K Advani and opposition leader in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj.

The sources said Goel sought a meeting with Singh and Modi but both were non-committal on making him CM, upon which Goel left. As he did so, it is reported there were slogans favouring Harsh Vardhan.

Sources within the party said an announcement on their choice for CM was likely in the next two days. Last week, Nitin Gadkari, in-charge of the Delhi elections, said the decision would be taken by the party's parliamentary board.

Last week, Goel publicly cited an alleged internal survey of the party to declare himself the most popular BJP leader. Harsh Vardhan's supporters point to his record as a successful professional (he's a medical doctor) and a clean image, beside his unbroken four-time winning record as an MLA. He was also a minister in the city government during the party's 1993-98 tenure in government.

Elections in Delhi are scheduled for December 4. The state is considered to witnessing a three-cornered contest between the Congress, BJP and the newcomer Aam Aadmi Party. Many opinion polls suggest an assembly with no clear majority.