BJP inducted Kiran Bedi giving a strong indication that it could project her as its CM candidate in Delhi. Officially, they have not yet declared that Bedi would contest the assembly elections, but sources in the party indicating that she will be BJP face in the election and will contest against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal — a call that could well turn out to be the game changer for the important contest. This development could turn Delhi polls into an American presidential-style face- off. BJP leader assume that Kiran Bedi’s practical contribution will play an important role in ensuring that BJP gets clear majority to form the government in future. Earlier, AAP had taunted BJP for not projecting its CM candidate, saying there is nobody to match the charisma of his leader’s talisman. In fact, when BJP declared Jagdish Mukhi as its CM candidate it is pretending that they have an alternative to the “energetic” Kejriwal. However, Bedi is real alternative.
Two things BJP has done right and on time. First, it is constantly stepping up towards success and induction of Bedi. Taking a figure like Bedi may boost the chance of BJP for another success in crucial upcoming election in Delhi. However, it is not like warning, but it is an important challenge from AAP to BJP to conquer Delhi. BJP’s previous experience in this type of identical situation had not borne any fruits, when they declared Sushma Swaraj as Delhi CM candidate against Sheila Dikshit. The saffron party must remember that organisation is biggest power than individual. So, polarisation of power is better than individual in democratic setup. It is another matter that it may be differed in communism or autocracy set up.
Moreover, she is same the Bedi who said that Modi cannot be absolved of his sins for 2002 riots even after being given clean chit by courts. She is same the Bedi, who had accused Congress and BJP of being funded by Black Money! So, she has to make an effort to tell people, what has changed in the party? The lust for power has finally overtaken Bedi’s carefully built credentials! She is no different than her own colleague Shazia Ilmi who is trying to “fix a Deal” with BJP. How can people forget Vinod Binny, who is very desperate to join BJP?
When Anna and team started the protest, they claimed no affiliation to any party when Congress insisted that the team was mostly composed of BJP supporters. Thanks to Kiran Bedi for finally “coming out of the closet”. People should not forget the factor that bound Hazare, Kejriwal, and Bedi. They all were devotees of one Goenka (deceased 29 September, 2013), teacher of the ridiculous “meditation” practice called Vipassana. Goenka was of Myanmar’s origin, and was carrying out his Vipassana business in USA. Goenka had apparently set up a Web site (kiranbedi.com) entirely devoted to project Ms Bedi as a Super Person. A certain bureaucrat (born in Rajasthan and now retired and settled in his home state) with a very big political clout is also a member of the Goenka cult. Bedi invited Goenka’s group to teach Vipassana to Tihar inmates and policemen. She virtually ordered all the police staff at Tihar to undergo the Vipassana ‘training’. IMHO was a frightening breach of security, because during the nine or ten day “training”, Goenka’s ‘vipassana’ teachers had full 24-hour physical control over the “trainees”.
BJP will commit blunder if they offer CM’s post to Bedi. BJP may fall just like AAP if it doesn’t take the right steps. A voter elects and sends a person as MLA or MP to rule the nation as per wishes of an ordinary citizen.
Unelected persons have no moral right to occupy CM’s or PM’s post or any other portfolio in a democratic country. If this is done then it is nothing but a backdoor entry. Here capacity of the person is immaterial. It is the ability to deliver goods as per aspirations of poor people. If people run behind power then they will fail like AAP. After all, everyone is after grabbing power and ideology is immaterial in politics. A decision to go to polls with Bedi as its spearhead will mark the reversal of BJP’s stand under PM Modi and Shah not to project a CM candidate in states where it is not in power. It is a reflection of the poor bench strength in the party as well as the acknowledgement that Harshvardhan, the party’s choice in the last polls, may not prove to be adequate for scoring a clear win over Kejriwal.
Bedi split with Kejriwal over the formation of AAP, and has often jibed against her former colleague. While she appeared to be warming up to BJP, party bosses were not sure whether she, being a fiercely independent person who acquired the reputation of being “difficult”, would fit into the rigid party structure. The two sides, however, reached an understanding after several rounds of parleys with Jaitley and others.
She recalled that she had taken voluntary retirement after being “overlooked” for Delhi Police commissioner’s post as she did not find her then assignment “challenging” enough. Right from the way, she took the podium to the way she spoke, Bedi oozed confidence, leading many to believe that BJP’s continuing ambivalence on the leadership could be tactical and might be over soon. She could not have been so voluble without a tacit go-ahead. The move scales up BJP’s campaign, pits Kejriwal against an opponent who matches his credentials as an anti-corruption crusader and is untainted, and can blunt any advantage that AAP hopes to derive on this count. Let’s see, how BJP or Bedi, going to change each other’s fate in Delhi.
