The party will play it safe as it does not want any unnecessary controversy keeping in mind the impending Lok Sabha elections
Deputy and acting mayor Manoj Bhardwaj may be BJP’s candidate for the by-election for the post of the city mayor to be held on January 22.
The BJP has appointed state vice president Rajendra Gehlot as in-charge for the by-election.
According to sources, Gehlot is taking the opinion of BJP legislators, former MLAs and city office-bearers. After taking the opinion of all party leaders, the candidate for the mayor by-poll will be decided.
According to sources, Bhardwaj is the frontrunner for the post. In 2008, the BJP made the then deputy mayor Pankaj Joshi its mayor candidate for the by-election when the then mayor Ashok Parnami was elected MLA from the Adarsh Nagar constituency.
Only 11 months have been left for the end of the term Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April and May this year. Given this background, the BJP will play safe and avoid any unnecessary controversy before Lok Sabha elections.
About a dozen of councillors have staked their claim for the post.
With the hopefuls intensifying lobbying, factionalism in the party has come to the fore.
In the state assembly elections, the BJP had to face the resentment of the Brahmin vote bank.
In Jaipur, both the BJP’s Brahmin candidates lost. In such a situation, the BJP may select Bhardwaj for the by-election of the mayor. “Due to the Vidhan Sabha session, the candidate was not decided for the Jaipur Mayor by-election. The candidate may be decided on Sunday after discussion with senior leaders. There is a possibility of the deputy mayor Manoj Bharadwaj being fielded as the candidate,” said a senior BJP leader.
It may be mentioned that mayor Ashok Lahoti has been elected MLA from Sanganer assembly constituency. So he resigned from the post on December 24. Deputy Mayor Manoj Bhardwaj has been made an acting mayor.
The BJP has a majority in the Jaipur Municipal Corporation.
That is why getting its candidate elected will be just a formality for the BJP.
However, the main question before the party is that there should be general consenus on the name of Bhardwaj as the party cannot afford any factionalism and dissension with Lok Sabha elections just a few months away.
Consenus
The main question before the party is that there should be general consenus on the name of Bhardwaj as the party cannot afford any factionalism and dissension with Lok Sabha elections just a few months away.
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