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NEW DELHI: The BJP parliamentary Board at its meeting next week is likely to announce new entrant and former top cop Kiran Bedi as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the forthcoming Delhi assembly elections.
According to state BJP party unit sources, the party besides nominating the Chief ministerial candidate will also finalize the candidates for 70 assembly segments for Delhi including Bedi’s candidature. There is considerable confusion within the party as all the candidates have not been finalised, with polls on February 7.
Sources added that unlike earlier, BJP this time will nominate the CM candidate before the polls to negate the Kejriwal effect. Aam Aadmi party Chief Arvind Kejriwal is the Chief Ministerial candidate for AAP and has had a head start as the party has been steadily campaigning for the elections for several months now.
Bedi and Kejriwal were together in the Anna Hazare led movement India Against Corruption. Bedi joined the BJP three days ago after a reported deal with BJP leading to considerable resentment in the old guard, mahy of whom were contenders for the top post.
The BJP is optimistic that the electoral will now acquire a decided edge in its favour, with Bedi seen as an aggressive and dynamic candidate. It is not clear which constituency she will finally contest from, although there are many favouring a direct fight between her and Kejriwal.
Meanwhile reports also suggest that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has also supported Bedi’s name as Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi.
However AAP, while lambasting BJP said that the party motivated Kiran Bedi to join politics only to save Prime Minister Modi from embarrassment in case of defeat.
"Kiran Bedi will act as a cushion between Modi and Kejriwal because BJP was projecting the two leaders to be in a direct fight in the upcoming elections. The BJP wants to shield Modi and save him from embarrassment in the event of the party's defeat," said AAP leader Yogendra Yadav while addressing a press conference in Delhi.
Meanwhile after Bedi, another former AAP leadear Shazia Ilmi too joined BJP and pledged to the form the government in Delhi.Ilmi had been vocal against the BJP during her stint in AAP, opposing the party as “communal” on her appearances on television as the Aam Aadmi spokesperson. Expelled AAP member Vinod Binny is about to join BJP at any moment, he was yesterday spotted at Delhi BJP office.
