Former IPS officer and key member of erstwhile ‘Team Anna’ Kiran Bedi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday and will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Kiran Bedi said she had decided to join BJP due to the inspirational leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Modi’s leadership inspired me to take the plunge in politics,” Kiran Bedi said.
“I have never worked for position or money. I’ve always looked at what I can contribute towards the country,” Kiran Bedi said. Reacting to the news, AAP chief Arvind Kejrial said he was happy she had joined politics.
Want to contest against Kejriwal in New Delhi seat, says Kiran Bedi:
Kejriwal and Bedi were part of the core team of social activist Anna Hazare who had spearheaded a massive agitation to press for the passage of jan lokpal bill in Parliament. The two had parted ways in 2012 after Kejriwal’s decision to float a political party.
“I am not here to win or lose. I am here to see that the party wins. If I win I am excellent, if I don’t win I still win. I have so much to go back to,” said Bedi.
“Delhi needs a stable, strong, corruption-free government. I have the experience, time and energy to make Delhi a world-class capital city,” she declared after becoming an online member in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah and Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Harshvardhan.
“The parliamentary board will take a call on who will be CM and all BJP leaders could be considered by the board including Bedi who has now joined the party,” said Shah, reversing the earlier decision not to go with a CM face. Bedi, however, may not be fielded against Kejriwal in his New Delhi constituency.
Watch: Kiran Bedi joins BJP, Kejriwal says ‘I am happy she has joined politics’
“Kiran Bedi will provide great strength to the Delhi BJP ,” president Amit Shah said, adding, “her positive contributions will help the party in a big way.” The entire BJP Delhi is happy about Kiran Bedi joining the party, Amit Shah said.
Soon after joining the BJP, Kiran Bedi said, “With our team work we will work towards a steady, stable and corruption-free government.”
Bedi joined the BJP “due to the PM’s inspirational leadership:
Bedi, who had been hailing Modi and supporting BJP through her Twitter posts since the start of campaign for Lok Sabha polls last year, said, “The change of leadership made me change my mind. The way Narendra Modi is changing the world around. The way NRIs are flocking into the country to invest now and the way the nation’s hopes have been revived, the aversion has gone”
The workers who had been disappointed by the lack of energy in the party so far, looked rejuvenated. She was greeted with the slogan Delhi Ka CM Kaisa Ho, Kiran Bedi Jaisa Ho (the ideal CM for Delhi is Kiran Bedi).