New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party will contest the assembly polls in the national capital under “collective leadership” and will not project any chief ministerial candidate, Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay announced on Tuesday while exuding confidence of getting a clear majority in the election.
“The party has decided to contest assembly elections under collective leadership. We believe in collective leadership, but it doesn't mean that party lacks good leaders. We will not declare any chief ministerial candidate,” he told reporters.
Justifying the decision, Upadhyay said BJP emerged victorious in the assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra without declaring a chief ministerial candidate while insisting that there is no dearth of “good leaders” in the party.
The BJP had declared Harsh Vardhan as its chief ministerial candidate in the run-up to the Delhi assembly polls last year. The announcement had triggered internal bickering as the then Delhi unit chief, Vijay Goel, had chief ministerial ambition.
Sounding confident of emerging victorious, Upadhyay said the party will decide about the chief minister at the “appropriate time“.
“There is a democratic process within the party. The party high command and the MLAs will decide about the next Chief Minister after the elections. Now, there is no issue about the CM candidate,” he said.
The Centre on Tuesday recommended dissolution of the Delhi Assembly with immediate effect after the BJP, AAP and Congress expressed their inability to form a government.
“We are very confident of winning Delhi elections. We have won Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana and we will emerged victorious in Delhi also,” Upadhyay said.
Asked if he is in the race for the top post, he said, “This question is not pertinent now. We have decided to contest elections under collective leadership. That's all.”
'Transparent and responsible govt'
Upadhyay said that BJP will “give transparent and responsible government” to the people of Delhi.
“As Narendra Modi ji has brought changes across the country, BJP will form government of people's trust in the national capital,” he added.
Slamming Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi BJP chief claimed that Delhiites won't give a chance to him again.
“Kejriwal ran away from his responsibilities after ruling Delhi for just 49 days. People of Delhi will not again trust him and they would choose BJP in the Delhi Assembly elections as they will give good governance,” he added.
