Not in race for CMs post: Rajnath

Singh,who was on his first visit to the city after getting his new responsibility,refused to talk about his plans for strengthening the party,but said,I will appeal to the people to judge the best political party for ruling UP.

Ruling out any post-poll alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party,he said: The BJP had entered into alliance with the BSP in UP in the past. But these were mistakes and I had opposed the tie-up. Now all BJP leaders have decided to not join hands with BSP, he said.

After Rajnath Singhs appointment,the BJP now has several leaders responsible for the partys election campaign,with little clarity about their role. Some time ago,Uma Bharti was asked to campaign in UP. Earlier,the party had constituted an election campaign committee headed by Rajya Sabha member Kalraj Mishra.

Then there is Narendra Singh Tomar,national general secretary who is in charge of UP BJP. Assisting Tomar are national vice-president Karuna Shukla and Radha Mohan Singh,MP from Bihar.

Rajanth Singh dismissed reports of confusion over his role and said there was no dispute within the state party unit over his appointment. He pointed out that in the past also,central leaders had been appointed election in-charge in states.

There is nothing new in my appointment as the election in charge of the state. In the last Assembly elections in Assam,the party had drafted Arun Jaitely,Varun Gandhi and Vijay Goel for the election campaign, he said.

Rajnath Singh said,My responsibilities will be the same as those given to any senior leader in such a situation.

He added he would work with other leaders of the party in the state so that the BJP could gain power in the state.