New Delhi, Jan 18 (Agencies): BJP has not taken any decision on its chief ministerial candidate for Delhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Sunday amid speculation that former IPS officer Kiran Bedi would be projected for the top post.
Bedi, who joined the party on Thursday, herself had also given a broad hint that she would be BJP's chief ministerial candidate.
"So far there is no decision. The parliamentary board will take a final call," Singh told PTI.
He was replying to a question on the possibility of BJP projecting someone as chief ministerial candidate.
The two-time BJP President said the party sometimes projects its chief ministerial candidate and sometimes not.
"In case of Delhi, the parliamentary party will take the final decision," he said.
The 12-member BJP parliamentary board include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Singh and finance minister Arun Jaitely besides others.
With less than three weeks to go for the elections, the Delhi BJP seems to be in disarray and the cancellation of party president Amit Shah’s rally in Pushp Vihar on Saturday is being seen as yet another sign that all isn’t well.
Confusion over the chief ministerial candidate and lack of movement on candidate selection has created chaos in the city unit, BJP sources said.
The induction of Kiran Bedi has made matters murkier as she is being positioned as the face of the party without officially being named its CM pick.
The BJP is still the party to beat in the February 7 polls, and is ahead of the rival Aam Aadmi Party in surveys. But the lack of clarity with just 18 days of campaigning left is making party workers increasingly confused and de-motivated, sources said.
On the other hand, BJP leaders pointed out, AAP and Congress have already declared their candidates, many of whom have started campaigning and filed their nominations. For the December 2013 polls, the BJP had wrapped up its candidate selection a month in advance.
The fight for Delhi is crucial for the BJP and a win here would cap off a brilliant run in assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and J&K. But senior party leaders are worried the selection chaos could affect the results.
Elections to 70-member Delhi assembly will be held on February 7.