With internal surveys and assessments indicating better prospects for the party in urban and Hindu-dominated areas, the BJP high command is exploring the possibility of fielding a candidate either from Jalandhar or Ludhiana instead of Hoshiarpur.
According to sources, BJP president Venkaiah Naidu, who was in the city yesterday, discussed the issue with state leaders. While Naidu cited party reports, which indicate better chances for the party in Ludhiana and Jalandhar, the state leaders were of the view that prospects were equally good in Hoshiarpur.
The sources said the state leaders, including president Avinash Rai Khanna, strongly opposed the suggestion to shift the constituency, saying it might send wrong signals. They also pointed out that the BJP’s best performance in the assembly elections had come from Hoshiarpur.
Though Naidu remained non-committal on the issue, some leaders said Khanna, who represents the Garshanker constituency in Hoshiarpur, could be a strong contender.
The sources said Naidu was also apprised of the fears of the state government ordering Vigilance probes against former party ministers if they are given tickets for the Lok Sabha polls. It is learnt that even Naidu is against the idea of fielding former ministers.
A senior party leader said a decision to field all the sitting MPs from Himachal and Punjab was taken in principle by Naidu. A formal announcement would however, be made by the party’s election committee.
{{/usCountry}}A senior party leader said a decision to field all the sitting MPs from Himachal and Punjab was taken in principle by Naidu. A formal announcement would however, be made by the party’s election committee.
{{/usCountry}}While Union Minister Vinod Khanna would seek a re-election from Gurdaspur, Himachal MPs, Maheshwar Singh (Mandi), Shanta Kumar (Kangra) and Suresh Chandel (Hamirpur), are the likely candidates from the hill state.
On Haryana, Naidu told the state leaders that a decision on the contentious issue of alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) would only be taken after February 6. The sources said a professional company was conducting a detailed survey of all the 10 constituencies to assess the party’s poll prospects with and without the INLD and its report was awaited.
A senior leader claimed that initial inputs of the survey from constituencies like Sonepat and Bhiwani were “very encouraging” and the party was riding high on the “Vajpayee factor”.
The survey was also looking into the possibility of holding simultaneous assembly elections in the state, he said. The report, the leader said, was likely to be discussed at the party’s national executive meeting later this week.