The BJP is believed to be disappointed with Manoj Tiwari's performance.
The BJP's Manoj Tiwari today denied that he has offered to quit over the party's drubbing at the hands of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi election on Tuesday. "I have neither been asked to resign nor have I offered my resignation," he told reporters on Wednesday, putting to rest all speculation in this regard.
The BJP could manage only eight of Delhi's 70 seats in the assembly election, which was swept by Arvind Kejriwal's AAP.
Mr Tiwari had earlier said at a press conference that his continuance or resignation as the Delhi BJP chief was an "internal matter" of the party. However, sources in the party say that the Bhojpuri singing star-turned-politician, given charge of the party in Delhi in 2016, may not survive in the post for long. He has completed his three-year term anyway, they reasoned.
The BJP, believed to be disappointed with Mr Tiwari's performance, has reportedly assessed that he failed to reel in Poorvanchali voters -- which was a key reason for his appointment as Delhi unit chief. The party has noted that Mr Tiwari's appeal came a cropper in constituencies with a large number of Purvanchalis, like Burari, where AAP won by a massive 88,000 votes.
Mr Tiwari yesterday owned responsibility for the BJP's defeat.
His comments during the Delhi poll campaign became a daily source of amusement, with AAP mocking the BJP leader using his songs.
Mr Tiwari joined the BJP in 2013 and quickly rose up the ranks. He contested the 2014 election from Delhi and won.
When he was appointed Delhi BJP chief two years later, there was much resentment among other seasoned leaders in the capital like Vijay Goel and Ramesh Bidhuri.