After series of talk in Dehli elections of Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elecions, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today reinducted disident and former Delhi Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana after the veteran Delhi leader expressed regret for his attack on former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani in 2006.

The formal decision to induct Khurana was taken by Chairman of the BJP disciplinary committee, Ram Naik. However, the under-cover talks with Khurana were going on for quite some time.

Khurana’s coming back to BJP folds gains significance in the view of the Assembly elections in Delhi slated to be held before November, 2008. Khurana is believed to have immense influence over Punjabi voters, who play decisive role in the body politic of Delhi. This move of the BJP is seen as an attempt to infuse confidence and energy into the Delhi unit of the party. However, the party refused to make it clear as to whether Khurana would be projected as the chief ministerial candidate in Assembly elections on the lines of the announcement made for the Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to media in the national capital on Friday, Party general secretary Arun Jaitley said, “Till now only Khurana’s induction has been discussed in the party.” But the party sources said that discussions in this regard are expected to begin soon as there are a few other contenders for the post, namely - Vijay Kumar Malhotra and an improbable choice of Vijay Goel. Khurana was expelled from the party after he had lashed out at the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani in April 2006 over the latter’s remarks that he had differed with the decision to release three dreaded terrorists in exchange for 161 passenger of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane ‘IC-814′. Khurana had then said that he could not work with the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.