BJP unlikely to project CM candidate, says Vijayvargiya

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 19

The Uttarakhand BJP is likely to refrain from projecting a chief ministerial candidate of its party for the 2017 Assembly elections.

The BJP is facing the dilemma of choosing a candidate among several contenders for the Chief Ministerial post. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya today gave enough hints that the party was veering towards leaving the issue unaddressed.

“The party does not have a compulsory policy of projecting a chief ministerial candidate. During the last elections in Maharashra and Haryana, we did not project a chief ministerial candidate but won the elections,” he said.

However, on being asked if the decision was final, Kailash failed to commit himself, saying, “The decision was not final and the party has not decided either.”

When asked how the party will manage the 10 Congress MLAs who are also vying for party tickets, he said, “The decision rests with the party. In case, the decision is taken they will contest the elections. In case, they are not given tickets, they will still continue to work as party workers.”

On the issue of the Uttarakhand Congress calling him a murderer of democracy and holding him responsible for buying MLAs, Vijavargiya rebuffed such claims and said, “The CBI is already working on the case and will soon make it clear who was guilty of buying the MLAs.”

Vijayvargiya was on a three-day visit to the state capital. He held extensive meetings with the entire party organisation and was confident that the BJP would stage a comeback in the elections and last a full term.

The strength of the party lies in its organisation and the party was of a firm opinion that a government could function properly only if the party organisation was strong.