Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ramesh Bidhuri’s recent controversial remarks about Delhi chief minister Atishi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have sparked a backlash, leading to discussions within the party about replacing him with a woman candidate for the upcoming assembly election.
Following his remarks, there have been at least two organizational meetings discussing the possibility of either “shifting or cancelling” the candidature of the South Delhi-based Gujjar strongman, a two-time Lok Sabha MP and three-time MLA, as reported by The Indian Express, citing party insiders.
“Not just against Atishi, Rameshji’s statement on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led to his being reprimanded by Naddaji within minutes,” a BJP source was quoted as saying in the report.
In Frame: Ramesh Bidhuri
The report, which cited additional sources, also stated that, although these discussions are still in their early phases, a number of possible female replacements for Bidhuri were discussed as part of the future.
On Saturday, the former MP received a ticket to run in the February 5 assembly election against Atishi from her hometown of Kalkaji.
His remarks about Atishi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra provoked criticism the next day.
While discussing the condition of roads in Kalkaji, Bidhuri remarked, “Just as we improved roads in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, we will make all roads in Kalkaji as smooth as Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks.”
Bidhuri then targeted Atishi, commenting on her decision to drop the surname Marlena and use Singh instead. He said, “Marlena has become Singh. She changed her father.”
READ: What Ramesh Bidhuri said about Atishi and Priyanka Gandhi