NEW DELHI, Feb 28 : Hours after Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh visited the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee in hospital, the party announced that Lalji Tandon would be its candidate in Lucknow. It was represented by Mr. Vajpayee in the 14th Lok Sabha. Senior leaders had been maintaining that the Lucknow seat would be decided in accordance with the wishes of Mr. Vajpayee.
Mr. Tandon has been close to Mr. Vajpayee for years and he has also looked after the Lucknow constituency.
However, he is not entirely non-controversial. Ahead of the 2004 election, more than 20 women died in Lucknow in a stampede when saris were distributed to them free on Mr. Tandon’s birthday.