BJP candidates in Delhi yet to be declared even as nomination for LS polls begins tomorrow

With the nomination process in Delhi set to begin on Tuesday, the BJP is yet to declare candidates on the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, leading to disappointment among party leaders who say the delay may pose campaign difficulties.

However, BJP vice-president and incharge of Delhi unit Shyam Jaju said there was "no delay" in the announcement of candidates and everything was going according to the plan.

"We will declare the names of our candidates at the right time," Jaju said.

The nomination process is to end on April 23, about a week from now.

Jaju also rubbished the talk that BJP's candidate announcement was pending in view of the emerging developments related to a possible alliance between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party.

 

"We are an organisation-based party. Decisions are made by party leaders and there is a system followed by us. BJP is different from other parties where one person makes decisions," Jaju said.

However, local party leaders say the delay may pose difficulties to potential candidates in designing their campaign as the days for the election on May 12 are numbered.

Another senior BJP leader claimed that the party was "waiting" for the "final word" on the Congress-AAP alliance, before declaring its candidate.

"There is no problem at all, the party is ready to address both the situations. BJP will announce its candidates in Delhi within hours of a final decision on alliance by Congress and AAP," he claimed.

The AAP has announced its candidates on all the seven seats and the Congress is believed to have finalised the names of its candidates which it could announce in a few days.

Still, the two parties are giving mixed signals and involved in alliance talk.

The BJP sources said surveys have been commissioned to make candidate selection responsive and gauze the electoral merits of the probables. A survey is underway to assess "anti-incumbency" for the sitting party MPs on the seven seats.

"There is a wind of change. The possibility of replacing the sitting MPs is high," on of the sources claimed.

In 2014 parliamentary elections, the BJP managed to win all the seven seats while the Congress and the AAP drew blank. In case the two parties tie up this time, the BJP will have an uphill task to maintain its previous tally.