BJP may pick ex-cricketer, dump sitting New Delhi MP
As the BJP leadership is brainstorming to select candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, the leadership is in two minds whether to give ticket to incumbent Member of Parliament Meenakashi Lekhi or to field new candidate from the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.
Among the front runner for ticket, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir has emerged as a popular contender with backing of senior party leaders for the New Delhi constituency, a seat having political significance as it was represented by BJP veterans like Lal Krishna Advani and late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the past.
According to reliable party insiders, Gambhir’s entry into the BJP has further changed the equation. BJP vice president and Delhi BJP in-charge Shayam Jaju and Monika Arora are other contenders.
The cricketer reportedly has been meeting various Residential Welfare Associations (RWAs) in the New Delhi constituency to strengthen his case.
BJP watchers said Gambhir chance of getting ticket has brightened after his name was included in the fresh list of 31 probable candidates for the Lok Sabha elections by the Delhi BJP. Sources in BJP said the party workers have expressed displeasure with the functioning of Lekhi.
Also, with the AAP and the Congress attacking the BJP for the sealing drive, sources said, the BJP leadership might replace Lekhi with a new face in order to beat anti-incumbency and woo local traders as well as party workers who have accused the sitting BJP MP of being inaccessible.
Various trading bodies are upset with Lekhi citing unresolved problems like congestion and parking issue. Sealing drive by the Municipal Corporations on the order of Supreme Court appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority have only added to woes of the traders in Hauz Khas, Greater Kailash, Defence Colony, Lajpat Nagar, Green Park and South Extension.
Popular markets like Khan Market, Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar come under New Delhi constituency and party fears that the issue of sealing could upset their applecart.
The BJP had won the New Delhi seat in 2014 comfortable with a margin of over 1.5 lakh. Lekhi had won the seat with 46.75 per cent vote share while Congress leader Ajay Makan managed to get 18.86 per cent of vote and AAP’s Ashish Khetan got 18.86 per cent votes. “Gambhir is strong contender, becoming obvious choice for the party High Command particularly after Pulwama, but sealing and issue of unauthorised colonies in New Delhi constituency is also other important issues where the selection committee has to give a thought,” said a BJP leader.
The competition is not just between Congress and BJP, AAP has evolved and gaining popularity in clusters and slum colonies,” said sources, adding, “AAP has always highlighted issues pertaining to water and electricity in slums and may gain momentum against Congress and BJP.”
In the Delhi Assembly, the New Delhi seat is represented by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who rode on the votes of the dominant service class people residing in the constituency. Further, he was also voted by the slum dwellers in the constituency.
R K Puram, Malcha Marg, near Moti Bagh Pilnaji Village are urban villages where people reside in unauthorised colonies and frequent visits of AAP representatives may change the narrative.
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi could be announced by first week of April. The filing of nominations will begin on April 16.
