MANOJ TIWARI, VIJAY GOEL MEET TO SORT OUT ‘DIFFERENCES’

After being reprimanded by the central leadership, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Manoj Tiwari and union minister Vijay Goel, who is also a senior leader from the state, on Monday had a closed-door meeting to sort out their differences.

Sources in the party said Tiwari reached Goel’s official residence around 3 pm, an hour before the executive committee met at the state BJP headquarters on Pandit Pant Marg.

“As a president of the party, I can meet any leader. There was some miscommunication. I went to invite him for the executive committee meeting. Things have been sorted out. There is no difference in the party now,” Tiwari said about the meeting.

Goel, a former Delhi unit chief, said there were some misunderstandings that had been cleared now. “We discussed the ‘adopt a slum’ initiative launched on May 16. We are urging every councillor to adopt a slum and resolve issues of slum dwellers. We spoke on a race I am organising in North campus to encourage the youth to join our campaign,” Goel said.

There has been a constant tussle between the two ever since Tiwari’s elevation as party chief in Delhi. Party insiders said Tiwari was also not pleased with the appointment of a few office bearers as he believed the process was influenced by Goel.

The infighting intensified last week when Goel organised a ‘felicitation function’ for the newly elected BJP councillors.

Sources said on Tiwari’s directions, a group of party leaders had asked councillors not to attend the function . Tiwari himself did not attend the event.

But at least 50 councillors turned up. On the weekend, Tiwari threatened action for “disobeying” the leadership.

The nominations to the position of leader of the house (LoH) in the three municipalities were also put on hold because Tiwari was reportedly unhappy the three councillors selected for the posts attended Goel’s function.

“We have not finalised names for the LoH yet. We will declare names before the next House meeting,” Tiwari had said.