BJP does not decide candidates on basis of religion, region: Vardhan

New Delhi: A day after the BJP announced candidates for the seven Lok Sabha seats of Delhi, the party's state president Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said the team formed is a well mix of people from all socio-economic background of the society.

Vardhan held a press conference here with the seven Lok Sabha candidates.

"Our party does not decide candidates on the basis of religion, region, language and caste. The BJP is often blamed for upper caste politics.

"Often questions are raised that candidates from a particular section of the society are not present in party. Since there are only seven seats from Delhi, we have taken prominent people from specific sections of the society," Vardhan said.

He said that BJP team compromises people from Vaishya, Punjabi, Brahmin, Gujjar, Jat, Puvanchal and Dalit sections.

Introducing party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, Vardhan said she will contest from New Delhi.

"Lekhi is a lawyer of Supreme Court and socio-political activist and has worked on several important cases and has contributed to our party for long. She is the daughter-in-law of eminent lawyer Prem Nath Lekhi," he said.

Vardhan described actor Manoj Tiwari as the face of Purvanchal, saying several people got employment after he took the Bhojpuri movie industry to a prominence. Tiwari will contest from North East Delhi.

"He is the face of Purvanchal and has been residing in Saket for the last 20 years," Vardhan said.

Art of Living practitioner Mahesh Giri "who has changed the lives of many", will fight from East Delhi.

Lauding Udit Raj, who will contest from North West Delhi, Vardhan said he worked for the uplift of the Dalit community. "If anybody has taken initiative to do good for Dalits and worked for their development, then it is Udit Raj. He is a prominent Dalit face. Raj commands respect across all communities," Vardhan said.

Taking a dig on AAP chief, Vardhan said, "Arvind Kejriwal has not done anything to eradicate corruption from the Income Tax department and has failed as the former chief minister."

MLA Parvesh Verma, son of the late Sahib Singh Verma, will contest from West Delhi and Ramesh Bidhuri will contest from South Delhi parliamentary constituency.

Tughlaqabad MLA Bidhuri had lost the last LS elections by 90,000-odd votes to Congress' Ramesh Kumar in south Delhi.