The BJP overlooked several high-profile claimants and picked a long-time party worker as Noida candidate Tuesday, releasing a list of contestants for the September 13 bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.<br /><br />The omission of Pankaj Singh, son of union home minister Rajnath Singh, seen as the frontrunner for the seat, surprised many. The party instead showed faith in 62-year-old Vimla Batham, an industrialist who has been with the BJP for 25 years. <br /><br />A section of the party sees it as yet another example of declining clout of Rajnath, the former BJP chief. In denying ticket to Pankaj, the party was sending out a bigger political message, they feel. “With the change of guard at the top, Rajnath Singh’s influence within the party has decreased,” a party leader said. <br /> <br />A reference perhaps also to the home minister’s reportedly diminished role in the appointment of senior officers.<br /><br />But, not everyone agrees. “Given that most of the party workers favoured a local candidate, Pankaj must have lost out being an outsider,” a senior UP party leader said on condition of anonymity. <br /><br /><br />For More information on this news visit : http://www.newsx.com/<br />Connect with us on Social platform at : http://www.facebook.com/newsxonline<br />Subscribe to our YouTube Channel : http://www.youtube.com/newsxlive
