The longstanding void in the Delhi BJP of having a strong personality to counter and contain Aam Aadmi Party’s chief ministerial candidate, Arvind Kejriwal, has been finally filled by former IPS officer Kiran Bedi who joined the party on Thursday. With Kejriwal attacking the BJP of having a leadership crisis in its State unit while projecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the face of its campaign, Bedi’s entry has now given the party a known local face whom it might project as its chief
ministerial candidate. Political experts opine her entry into Delhi politics, with an aggressive AAP in the scenario, could be a game changer for the BJP. The party on Thursday also announced that Bedi, a former member of anti- corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s team, will lead the BJP’s Mission Delhi campaign. BJP MP and Delhi Election Committee’s member Vijay Goel said, “I am certain that under her inspirational leadership, BJP will win the forthcoming elections and Delhi will grow. She will lead our Mission Delhi campaign and I am certain we would get two-thirds majority this time.”
There are several reasons why political experts are calling the entry of Bedi a “masterstroke” by party chief Amit Shah. The first woman IPS officer will be an appealing face for the party in the Capital given her earnest and committed personality. Although her entry would not overcome the steady and growing popularity of Kejriwal being wanted as the CM candidate in Delhi, still it is likely to dent quite a lot of AAP’s support base, especially the middle and upper middle class voters balancing the two-cornered fight to a great extent.
Moreover, as a former police officer, her presence will also underline the importance of women’s safety issues - something that has bothered all women in Delhi. “The fact that she has always praised Modi creates a lot of positive vibes within the party. It smoothens ties and will give people the perspective that Modi will lead the country and in Delhi it would be Bedi,” said a senior BJP leader.
The grand welcome that she received sharing the dais with BJP national president Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan itself spoke volumes of her role in the coming days in steering the BJP towards a comfortable victory. Shah also formally announced that she would be getting a ticket to fight in the polls. Sources say that the party is most likely to field her from the coveted New Delhi seat to counter Kejriwal who is fighting from the same constituency.
When asked whether she will be the party’s chief ministerial candidate, Shah said party’s Parliamentary Board will take a call on the issue after election results are out but added that her induction will “hugely strengthen” the Delhi unit. In May 2014, Bedi had said she was ready to be the CM candidate if such an offer was made to her. “I will consider myself to be ready for it if such an offer is made,” she had said when asked if she would be the candidate if fresh elections were announced. But her bid to be CM was shot down by several BJP leaders who felt she was an ‘outsider’.