BJP undecided on CM candidate in Delhi

Faction-ridden BJP is undecided on whether to project a chief ministerial candidate to take on the formidable Congress incumbent Shiela Dikshit, who will be seeking her fourth consecutive term when the national capital goes to choose a new Assembly in November.
The Delhi BJP unit chief Vijay Goel is definitely a longstanding aspirant for the job but he is confronted by growing dissidence from within, with party stalwarts like V K Malhotra, Vijender Gupta and Aarti Mehra being totally opposed to him.
They have told the party high command of their total opposition to Goel whom they have accused of ignoring senior leaders and thereby dividing the party ahead of the elections.

Goel, however, claims that there is no groupism within the party and he expects a decision on the issue of candidature for the chief minister's post to be taken soon.
There is a growing view within the party that Dr Harsh Vardhan, a former Delhi minister and senior party leader with a clean image, would pose a tough challenge to Dikshit.
He is said to be favoured by most leaders for the job.

However, the party high command is in a dilemma on whether to project a candidate at all, fearing resentment from Goel and his supporters which would hurt the party.

Another view in the high command is it is better to announce Vardhan's name and assure Goel that he would be accommodated in the Cabinet if BJP comes to power at the Centre.
Party sources said the leadership was still not clear on whether to project a candidate ahead of the polls as it could disappoint aspirants and promote groupism that could spell trouble for the party.