Khurana, Sahib sulk as Sushma recruits

However, the state candidate selection committee is meticulously taking down the suggestions of the Delhi BJP workers to keep the party dossier in proper order. The process is being undertaken to reportedly satisfy disgruntled workers and make them feel involved the candidate nomination process.

According to several mandal-level leaders and state party office-bearers, the grass-root workers are unhappy with the government’s inability to control the spiralling prices. And unlike the leaders who go off after their speeches get over, they are being forced to face these issues while wooing the common voter, they added.

They complained that the party leadership is more engaged in pacifying the warring camps of Khurana and Sahib Singh Verma. In fact, how to get the two rebel camps represented without upsetting the party’s election strategy is said to be the most vital issue before the party at the moment.

Retaining the bastions in Delhi and Rajasthan has become important for the Vajpayee government, especially because allegations of naive governance and spiralling prices are gaining ground. But with no popular wave like the promise of Ram Mandir or Ram Rajya to help garner votes, the BJP workers are in a quandary.

Swaraj has little alternative but to play an active role in the election process. The new Chief Minister, in fact, is taking a keen interest in the candidate selection process, if only to get some of her own people nominated. Swaraj also made it a point to attend the on-going meeting as this gave her an opportunity to interact with the party grass-root workers and get a first-hand feedback on the party’s prospects in the coming elections, a senior party leader said.

Sahib Singh who has also been keeping away so far, spent the entire afternoon at the state party office.