Poll heat rises as lists of candidates are delayed

Both Congress and the BJP did not announce their list on Friday. Yet both parties admitted that they have cleared some names. Neelam Pandey and Hamari Jamatia report. Queue for the poll ticket

A number of candidates aspiring for a BJP ticket for the April 15 MCD polls in Delhi flocked to the party headquarters on Friday afternoon after rumours spread that the ruling party in the MCD house had declared its first list.

People were seen making calls frantically, getting into a huddle with supporters and lining up to meet senior leaders. While many were keen to know whether they have got the party ticket or not some were confident of their chances and enquiring which ward had been allocated to them.

The party, however, clarified that though some names had been cleared by the selection committee, the BJP was yet to come out officially with the complete list. "Meetings were being held throughout the day. We have reached consensus over a few names. These names have been given a green signal by the party high command too. But the final list is yet to be announced officially, as we continue to discuss candidates for the remaining wards," said a senior BJP leader.

HT Image

Though the party would not confirm that it had finalised the list, but intriguingly some Delhi BJP leaders raised the banner of revolt claiming that they had been denied the party ticket.

"Unhappy over ticket distribution" office bearers of the party's Sonia Vihar district unit resigned on Friday. Brajesh, president of Sonia Vihar Mandal, sent his resignation to Vijendra Gupta, the Delhi BJP president.

Some of the party workers waited till 6pm in the hope that the final list would be announced on Friday. Since the last day for nominations is Monday, aspiring candidates were hoping that the final list would come out on Friday itself.

"If the list is not announced today (Friday), candidates will only have one day to file their nominations, that is Monday which might become a difficult exercise," said a BJP office bearer. However, senior party leaders explained that they do not want any problems on their hands because announcing the names earlier would have led to rebellion from those who would not get a ticket.

The scene at Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office was relatively calm with only a handful of party workers.

With the ticket selection committee holding its meeting at the Haryana Bhavan in Chanakyapuri to finalise the names, most workers chose to go there instead. Late in the evening, party workers exchanged notes that an official list may not be brought out on Friday. But sources said a dozen candidates had been finalised.

These included leader of the opposition Jai Kishan Sharma and sitting councillors Farhad Suri and Razia Sultana. While some sitting councillors have been repeated, a number of fresh candidates have been included in the list, they said.

Sources said emphasis was laid on selecting candidates who have a clean image.

Both the Congress and the BJP are expected to come out with their final lists on Sunday evening.