Former top cop Kiran Bedi on Thursday joined BJP and offered to contest Delhi elections saying she would dedicate her services to the party to see that “a strong, stable and corruption-free” Government was installed in the National Capital.
Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Shazia Ilmi is also expected to join the BJP on Friday while two AAP leaders, Shakil Anjum Dehlavi and Farhana Anjum joined the BJP on Thursday.
Bedi took the BJP membership in presence of party president Amit Shah, central Ministers Arun Jaitley and Harsh Vardhan, senior party leader Vijay Goel, Delhi unit in-charge Prabhat Jha and State unit president Satish Upadhyay.
Bedi announced that she would work for the success of the party in the Delhi polls and use her 40 years of ‘experience’ as administrator and social worker to deliver on the aspirations of people in the city. The former police officer, who was a prominent face of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, said she was in politics as she was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“I am here because of his inspirational leadership… Prime Minister inspired me to join politics”, she said, adding there was “revival of hope” after May (lok Sabha results), last year.
Before arriving at the BJP headquarters here, she met Modi along with Shah. “I am very grateful to the Prime Minister who I met before coming here. The Prime Minister was very busy but gave me time,” she said.
In his address, Shah said Bedi’s entry into the BJP would strengthen the Delhi unit of the party, its election campaigns in the coming days, installation of a new Government and in fulfilling the aspirations of people in the National Capital.
While confirming that Bedi would contest elections from one of the 70 Assembly seats, Shah skirted a query whether she would be the Chief Ministerial candidate for the BJP. "It would be decided by the party's Parliamentary Board", was the refrain. When pressed further, he went on to say "all workers of the BJP are suited to be CM."
Welcoming Bedi, the party president said her "creative contribution would be of great use" in Delhi polls. Shah said a decision on the allocation of Assembly seats was yet to be taken by the party. Amidst cheers from BJP workers, Bedi said Delhi needs "a strong and stable Government".
In his address Jaitley said the BJP has always tried and encouraged "experienced and credible people" to join the party. The party had maintained contact with Bedi and "we are happy she has joined us". Jaitley described her as "a crusader in Government and outside".
As Bedi joined the BJP, former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi is also reportedly going to join the BJP on Friday. Shazia, a social activist and previously a television journalist was a spokesperson for the India Against Corruption movement led by Anna Hazare. She had contested the 2013 Assembly polls from RK Puram and had lost by a slender margin. In one of her tweets, Shazia has maintained that she would not contest Delhi polls.
Meanwhile, ahead of Delhi Assembly elections, two AAP leaders, Shakil Anjum Dehlavi and Farhana Anjum joined BJP. Dehlavi and Farhana Anjum had unsuccessfully contested the 2013 Assembly polls from Matia Mahal and Ballimaran respectively. "Joining of these two leaders will strengthen the party and we are very sure that BJP will win the upcoming Assembly election," Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay told reporters here.