Except for the outcome the oncoming assembly elections to Delhi will be a repeat performance. The same controlled frenzy, the war of words and of course the promises by the candidate.
Even the parties are the same–the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress (I) who would slug it out among themselves as the battle royale shifts into overdrive. Last year during the same event the BJP could not garner enough seats to take charge of the hot seat of the Chief Minister, and the Lt Governor had to ask AAP who happened to be the runner up in the polls to run the government.
Arvind Kejriwal led AAP, however quit after 48-days of ruling the Capital citing reasons which included the failure to pass the Jan Lok Pal Bill. Since then Delhi has been headless, being under the jurisdiction of the Lt Governor.
Surveys show that BJP which is ruling the nation would romp home to victory in the 70-member Delhi Assembly. A recent Zee News survey states that the BJP will bag 37 seats, AAP 29 and the Congress could just manage upto 4 seats. In 2013 polls the people’s verdict was the following — the BJP won 32 seats, AAP 28, Congress 8 and others 2.
The outcome would not be a surprise for anyone –this time. The BJP in all probability is all set to storm to power, with its key opponent AAP, which had largely disillusioned the people after stepping down abruptly and failing to take forward the promises (to a logical conclusion) on which they had garnered sizeable votes.
The BJP on its part is confident of winning the polls with a clear majority this time, riding high on a new poll strategy chalked out by party president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress with a self-defeating legacy had been doomed, at least for the time being with the former Chief Minister Sheila Dixit hounded by charges of corruption and mismanagement and had to step out and into oblivion after being outvoted by none other than Kejriwal.
As things stand today, Kejriwal dared Kiran Bedi, who has now joined the rival BJP for a public debate. Like last year, the battle would be between these two candidates. But it is still unclear whether the two would be facing off in a straight contest or the BJP would field Nupur Sharma, a former student leader.
Bedi and Kejriwal were both members of Team Anna during social activist Anna Hazare’s campaign for Jan Lokpal bill. They fell out over Kejriwal’s decision to launch a political party and Bedi has been a staunch critic of the AAP leader since then.
Kejriwal’s party has maintained that Bedi is not a challenge and BJP’s choice will have an adverse effect on its rank and file. AAP on this may not be far from the truth. Already, BJP party honchos are bristling over Bedi’s body language (just after four days of joining the party) of being the Chief Minister, if the party comes to power.
Bedi had joined BJP recently which just gives credence to the tired old adage, once again, that politics does make strange bed-fellows. This time the over-used cliché has come alive at Delhi.
Bedi was once billed as the maverick cop during her tenure in the traffic department in the capital years back. She was also called ‘’ crane Bedi’’ for introducing the system of picking up vehicles that were left in unauthorized spots. She had other postings too— Superintendent of Police in Goa, DIG (Range) in Mizoram, Inspector General (Prisons) Tihar Jail and Inspector General of Police in Chandigarh.
“My aim is to see that Delhi gets a stable, clear-headed, honest and courageous government,” Bedi reacted to her joining BJP to fight the battle for Delhi.
The BJP also took into its fold Shajia Ilmi, who was also one of the erstwhile fire-brand AAP activist some time back.