New Delhi: As rumblings in Delhi BJP over chief ministerial candidate continue, its chief Vijay Goel on Monday said he was not a contender for the position but sought an early decision on the contentious issue which has virtually split the party and derailed its campaign for the polls.
Replying to a volley of questions on the issue at a press conference, Goel, however, refused to give a direct answer when asked whether he will work with equal vigour if former Health Minister Harsh Vardhan is projected as the chief ministerial candidate.
"I am not a candidate for any post. The Parliamentary Board will take a decision on the issue (of chief ministerial candidate) taking views of the party workers," he said.
"In the past eight months I have neither named myself nor anyone else. The parliamentary board has to decide on who will be the chief ministerial candidate," he said.
Goel`s comments came a day after he met top brass of BJP including Rajnath Singh and Narendra Modi and expressed his serious opposition to Vardhan`s candidature.
Favouring an early decision on the issue, he also rejected reports that he had threatened to resign from the post of Delhi BJP president if Vardhan was named as CM candidate.
"I have never threatened to resign," he said.
When asked about internal fissures in the party over the issue and whether the central leadership was delaying taking a decision on the matter, he said, "All decisions related to elections should be taken at the earliest."
When pressed whether he will continue to work if Parliamentary Board decides to project Vardhan for the chief minister`s position, he said he will be able to react only after a decision is made.
"Party is supreme. Nothing happens on the basis of what I say. Party will take a final decision," he said.
A number of senior Delhi leaders are understood to have conveyed to the party leadership that they should announce the candidature of Vardhan who is believed to have wider acceptability among people, party leaders and workers.
