10-27-2006, 07:33 PM
<b>Vajpayee makes an exception, to campaign for UP local bodiesâ polls</b>
Pradeep KaushalPosted online: Thursday, October 26, 2006 at 0000 hrs Print Email
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 25: Former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee has so far kept himself away from local bodiesâ polls. But he has decided to make an exception now. Party sources disclosed that Vajpayee would address a rally in support of party nominees in local polls at his constituency Lucknow on October 27.
Though local BJP leaders were keen on Vajpayee addressing three public meetings in the city, party president Rajnath Singh shot down the idea. âThis would be below Vajpayeeâs stature,â Singh is learnt to have told them, underlining that it was a climbdown from the party convention.
The BJP has fielded Lucknow University reader Dinesh Sharma for the mayoral election, who faces a stiff challenge from SP candidate Madhu Gupta and Congress nominee Manzoor Ahmed Khan. Sources feel the SP has an upper hand in the UP capital. A former president of the state Yuva Morcha, Sharma is a protégé of state general secretary (organisation) Nagendra. He is also believed to be close to the former prime minister.
Sharma has outmanoeuvered Ashutosh Tandon, son of BJP legislature party leader Lalji Tandon, for getting the party nomination. Vajpayeeâs public meeting would also neutralise any possible damage to Sharma from Tandonsâ unhappiness.
The BJP chief himself also deviated from convention and addressed election rallies at Kanpur and Varanasi. He is scheduled to address more rallies on October 27 when he would proceed to Aligarh and Agra along with the partyâs chief ministerial candidate Kalyan Singh after receiving Vajpayee at Lucknow.
pradeep.kaushal@expressindia.com
Pradeep KaushalPosted online: Thursday, October 26, 2006 at 0000 hrs Print Email
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 25: Former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee has so far kept himself away from local bodiesâ polls. But he has decided to make an exception now. Party sources disclosed that Vajpayee would address a rally in support of party nominees in local polls at his constituency Lucknow on October 27.
Though local BJP leaders were keen on Vajpayee addressing three public meetings in the city, party president Rajnath Singh shot down the idea. âThis would be below Vajpayeeâs stature,â Singh is learnt to have told them, underlining that it was a climbdown from the party convention.
The BJP has fielded Lucknow University reader Dinesh Sharma for the mayoral election, who faces a stiff challenge from SP candidate Madhu Gupta and Congress nominee Manzoor Ahmed Khan. Sources feel the SP has an upper hand in the UP capital. A former president of the state Yuva Morcha, Sharma is a protégé of state general secretary (organisation) Nagendra. He is also believed to be close to the former prime minister.
Sharma has outmanoeuvered Ashutosh Tandon, son of BJP legislature party leader Lalji Tandon, for getting the party nomination. Vajpayeeâs public meeting would also neutralise any possible damage to Sharma from Tandonsâ unhappiness.
The BJP chief himself also deviated from convention and addressed election rallies at Kanpur and Varanasi. He is scheduled to address more rallies on October 27 when he would proceed to Aligarh and Agra along with the partyâs chief ministerial candidate Kalyan Singh after receiving Vajpayee at Lucknow.
pradeep.kaushal@expressindia.com