With former IPS officer Kiran Bedi’s entry in Delhi politics, the coveted New Delhi seat is going to be an interesting battlefield in the February 7 Assembly polls. As BJP national president Amit Shah confirmed that Bedi would be given a ticket to fight the polls, sources are suggesting it’s going to be New Delhi for her — making it a women versus Kejriwal battle. The Congress is likely to field Kiran Walia while the BJP
may give it to Bedi. Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has already announced he would fight from the same seat. As the elections are inching closer, all eyes are set on the high-profile New Delhi constituency. Speculations are rife with too many names coming up from the BJP — the latest one being that of Bedi. The 65-year old former member of the Anna Hazare team was inducted into the party fold in the presence of Shah and Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Harsh Vardhan, triggering speculation that she may be the face for the BJP against AAP’s Kejriwal.
Shah announced on Thursday that she will contest the polls but declined to answer whether she will be pitted against her former Team Anna colleague Arvind Kejriwal in the prestigious New Delhi constituency. “A decision about her constituency will be taken later.” The constituency is considered as very powerful and the battle is very prestigious for every party. It should also be noted that winner from here became the CM of the State for the last four terms.
On Wednesday, there was buzz that former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi could contest against Kejriwal but on Thursday morning she tweeted that she is not in the race for a party ticket. She will be joining the BJP on Friday and shall extensively campaign for the party in the polls. Reports said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is weighing its options between a star and a grass roots worker for New Delhi.
In December 2013 polling, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had emerged victorious from here. He had defeated three-time Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader Sheila Dikshit by a massive margin of 28,864 votes. Kejriwal and Dikshit bagged 44,269 and 18,405 votes, respectively. AAP has fielded Kejriwal from this prestigious seat.