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BJP seeks to play down differences over Rajya Sabha nominations

A section of the senior BJP leadership voiced reservations over nominations of Ram Jethmalani from Rajasthan and Tarun Vijay from Uttarakhand contending that there were better candidates in the party.

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Seeking to play down differences within the party on Rajya Sabha nominations to jurist Ram Jethmalani and party spokesman Tarun Vijay, the BJP today said the selection of candidates was done after due consideration.

"The decisions were taken by the Parliamentary Board after due consideration," was BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad's answer to questions about reported discontent in the party over nominations to the Upper House.

A section of the senior BJP leadership voiced reservations over nominations of Jethmalani from Rajasthan and Vijay from Uttarakhand contending that there were better candidates in the party.

Some leaders pointed out that Jethmalani had contested the 2004 elections against Atal Bihari Vajpayee and had spoken against death penalty for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

"Mr Jethmalani is now a member of the BJP and the views
of the BJP on Afzal Guru are too well known," was all Prasad
had to say on the issue.

Asked about RSS leader Seshadri Chari's letter voicing opposition to Vijay's nomination, he said party president Nitin Gadkari will take appropriate action in the matter.

"If Seshadri Chari has written a letter then the party president will take appropriate action. But if Chari has made any public statement, I do not think it is appropriate," Prasad said.

He also rubbished Chari's allegations of financial misconduct by Vijay during his tenure as Editor of 'Panchajanya', the RSS mouthpiece.

"This is totally wrong. Tarun Vijay is a good party worker and a well-wisher of the party," Prasad said. 

On his part, Jethmalani said his remarks about Afzal Guru were "misunderstood" as he had felt the Parliament attack convict should be made to pass life in the jail to make him understand that there are no pleasures in afterlife as he was made to believe by his mentors.

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