Delhi BJP chief rejects proposal to congratulate Gujarat CM Modi

Vijender Gupta,former Delhi BJP chief,brought the proposal to send in a congratulatory note to Narendra Modi on his appointment as election committee chief. Much to his astonishment,Goel reportedly took away the microphone from his hands and announced that no such action is required on the part of the Delhi unit.

“I was shocked when my proposal was turned down. I was expecting that my proposal will get support of the unit chief as we all draw inspiration from Narendra Modi. But when the Delhi unit chief interrupted me and rejected the proposal I was at a loss for words,” Gupta said.

Commenting on the issue,Goel said the proposal always comes from the chair and not from other members. “I did not consider it as a proposal and I praised Modi for his development work and the audience clapped,Gupta too may have wanted this,” Goel said.

Contrary to his claim that proposal should come from the chair,when BJP MLA Ramesh Bidhuri brought a proposal to give Delhi full statehood,Goel accepted that proposal.

At a time when most of BJP state units and even municipal corporations in Delhi are drawing inspiration from Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi,the Delhi unit president wants to maintain a distance from the party’s newly appointed election campaign committee head.

In the first meeting of the newly constituted state executive,where all members were given an opportunity to speak their mind on how to win elections this season,the proposal to congratulate Modi was tabled.

Vijay Goel rejected it outright. Shocked and astonished,this reaction of the Delhi chief did not go well with many members of the executive.

“We thought it would be the best time to congratulate Modi,while he is in Delhi,but rejecting such a proposal has shown us that all is not well in party,” a senior leader who attended in the executive meet said.

According to another senior member of the executive,the proposal was rejected because Advani’s close aide was sitting on the stage. “Goel may have his reasons to reject the proposal but this should not have taken place in a state executive where leaders such as Jagdish Mukhi publicly praised Modi saying that under his leadership BJP will win [polls in Haryana,” the senior leader said.

This was Modi’s first visit to Delhi after he was nominated as head of BJP’s election campaign committee.