Mumbai, March 29: Slain BJP leader Pramod Mahajan`s daughter Poonam could still be a party candidate for Lok Sabha elections, but from a different constituency -- North central Mumbai, taking on Congress` Priya Dutt.
The BJP high command declining Poonam a ticket from North east Mumbai and renominating former MP Kirit Sommaiya and her meeting with MNS chief Raj Thackeray immediately after it sparked off speculation on her future political moves.
Poonam, however, set to rest speculation by informing BJP state unit president Nitin Gadkari that her visit did not have any political overtones and that she had gone to exchange greetings with Raj for Gudi Padwa.
"We take her statement at face value as of now. BJP has nothing to do about whom she visits for extending Gudi Padwa greetings," a highly-placed party source told reporters.
Claiming that "she gave vent to her frustration at being denied a ticket", he said, "It is a sort of mind game tactic she resorted to. Otherwise, if she had kept quiet after Kirit Sommaiya`s name was announced for the North-east constituency, she would not have been written about," the source said.
The source said Poonam demanded North East seat at the last minute. She wanted Mumbai South, but the constituency went to Shiv Sena as part of the seat-sharing arrangement.
The party offered her Kalyan and Pune, but she refused both, the source said.
The option of contesting the North Central seat against Priya Dutt is still open to Poonam and that is the reason why the party has still not announced its candidate from this constituency, he said.
However, Poonam had earlier decided against entering the electoral ring from North Central because she did not consider it a "safe" seat.
Senior BJP leader and Poonam`s uncle Gopinath Munde had taken up his niece`s demand for a ticket from North east Mumbai and had suggested to the party leadership in New Delhi that Kirit Sommaiya be given a Rajya Sabha nomination.
Despite Munde`s demand, Sommaiya was chosen since he had represented the constituency earlier. He was defeated by Gurudas Kamat of the Congress in 2004. However, Sommaiya has remained active in the constituency, the source said.
After delimitation, the party could have better chances in the constituency as it comprises a majority of its traditional supporters including Gujaratis.
Bureau Report
