Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has finally joined the BJP in the run up to Assembly elections in Delhi. A self-confessed admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ‘leadership qualities’, Bedi will give the saffron party the face it was craving for a long time now.
At the press conference in the presence of party president Amit Shah and Union Minister Arun Jaitley, she did mention how she was neglected for the post of Delhi police commissioner despite her eligibility. Perhaps, this was the beginning of her strained relationship with the Congress which was running the government then.
Now that Amit Shah has made it clear that she will fight the upcoming elections, Delhi is staring at a intriguing contest between Bedi and her one-time colleague at India Against Corruption Arvind Kejriwal.
It’s a remarkable political shift for Bedi who was once the face of anti-corruption campaign led by Anna Hazare and Kejriwal. After her ghonghat act during the Lokpal movement which was apparently to mock BJP’s indecisiveness in its stand on the Bill in Parliament, Kiran Bedi’s journey as a political activist has come a full circle.
Soon after Bedi joined BJP, Kejriwal tweeted he was happy that she has joined politics. This perceived bonhomie apart, realpolitik is also about hard fought battles and often acrimonious exchange of words. The two veterans have fought many battles together on the road. The real test now lies ahead as they are likely to take on each other. If it does happen, this lip-smacking fight has all the ingredients of a Bollywood potboiler. Two friends setting out on a mission but ending up as rivals. But don’t they say there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics.
What is she bringing to the table for BJP? A proven track record as an honest police officer and an understanding of the functioning of the government machinery. But the larger question is will she be able to halt Kejriwal rerun of the last elections?
Well, the jury is still out. Watch this space.
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