By IANS,
New Delhi : BJP leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha may contest against Nitin Gadkari, who is seeking a second term as BJP president, party sources said Tuesday.
Sinha had targetted Gadkari last year after corruption charges surfaced against the latter’s company, Purti Group, and suggested he should step down as the party president.
“He (Sinha) collected a nomination form and a copy of the voters’ list,” BJP general secretary and election in charge Thawarchand Gehlot told reporters.
Nominations for the BJP president’s post will be filed Jan 23 and a date for the poll would be announced if there is a contest.
In case there are no other nominations, Gadkari would be declared elected for a second consecutive term of three years.
Another Gadkari-baiter and former member of the BJP’s national executive, lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani also indicated he would contest against Gadkari if no one else does.
BJP sources said Mahesh Jethmalani could face a technical problem as he does not fulfil the mandatory rule of being a member of the party for 15 years to be able to contest for the president’s post.
Mahesh Jethmalani’s father Ram Jethmalani, who was law minister in the BJP-led NDA government and represents the party in the Rajya Sabha, was suspended from the party for demanding Gadkari’s removal over corruption charges.