The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is reportedly considering fielding former Union minister Smriti Irani in the Greater Kailash assembly seat against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, The Indian Express reported.The report claimed that Smriti Irani is being seen by the BJP's Delhi unit as a charismatic leader who might fill in the gaps and take on a popular figure like Saurabh BharadwajThe BJP has declared 59 of the 70 candidates for the upcoming Delhi assembly election so far, and is looking for strong contenders in the remaining seats, which include the Greater Kailash seat.
Saurabh Bharadwaj is reportedly seen as a popular figure in the seat even by the BJP. The party has held several rounds of discussions on the GK seat.
The IE report added that Irani’s name is doing rounds along with three other women leaders for the constituency.
The two sides of Smriti Irani argument
According to the Indian Express report, the Delhi unit of the BJP is viewing Smriti Irani as someone who may fill the gap in its ranks of a charismatic leader, especially to counter AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal.She is seen as an articulate and feisty leader and has giant killing under her belt as she had defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from his family bastion of Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“The GK seat has emerged as a very important constituency during our poll discussions. The BJP’s Delhi election in-charge, Baijayant Panda, was himself deputed by the Central Election Committee last Friday to seek the assent of the candidates being considered, including a former Delhi MP,” The IE quoted a BJP functionary as saying.
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