Amit Shah pulls out an ace: Why Kiran Bedi is Kejriwal's perfect opponent in Delhi

The induction of Kiran Bedi, former IPS officer and a key figure in the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement, into the BJP could be a game-changer for the party. Polls to the Delhi assembly are due on 7 February, and results are due on 10 February. Her induction does not necessarily change the dynamics of an election in which Arvind Kejriwal has already built up sizeable momentum when the Delhi BJP was resting on its oars, but the battle will now be more even. Beyond the surprise element in her late induction, the BJP should be asking itself: did it bring her in too late? However, it is clearly another Amit Shah masterstroke, for late induction means AAP has to change tactics. It was planning daily disclosures against BJP’s top Delhi leaders, but now this ammo will go waste. Here’s why Bedi is the right pick-me-up for the BJP’s sagging fortunes in Delhi. First, the BJP now gets a face – an earnest and committed one at that – to lead the campaign in Delhi. This will counter Kejriwal’s huge lead against the party. Second, it did not make sense for the BJP to pit Modi against Kejriwal, even though Modi’s personality looms large over the election. In a scenario where the BJP was slipping against a determined Kejriwal campaign, the argument that Modi would not be the CM was beginning to work with the electorate. Now, the voter will not accept Kejriwal only because the BJP does not have a face beyond Modi. [caption id=“attachment_533522” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Kiran Bedi. PTI[/caption] Third, as one of the most visible flag-wavers during Anna’s Delhi fast in 2011, Bedi will be a seen as having the same anti-corruption credentials as Kejriwal. But this time with the added advantage of having the backing of a powerful party in the central government. Fourth, Kiran Bedi – who would once have been unacceptable to the BJP’s Delhi leaders – now finds instant acceptance in the Amit Shah regime, where dissenters have been told to put up or shut up. The party’s infighters have learnt to respect Shah’s enormous strategic thinking and electoral savvy. So when he backs Bedi, there will be no murmur. Fifth, Bedi will be able to use the Modi card better now. As someone who has openly expressed her admiration for Modi, and also because of her own credibility, the voter can be told that Delhi state and the centre will now work in harmony. Sixth, the truth is the Delhi BJP was in a shambles. It had no idea how it was going to win. The whispers were that there were Brahmin and Bania lobbies fighting for supremacy in the party – hardly the right atmosphere for putting up a good fight against Kejriwal. Seventh, Bedi has a psychological advantage with Kejriwal. As a former associate, he can’t target her directly. This allows her to talk development, good governance, etc. Eighth, Bedi negates the BJP’s gradual slippage towards a Hindutva image. She will hopefully stand for no such nonsense. This could help bring in the marginal minority voter – who may have been wondering if the party is abandoning its development agenda for a sectarian one. Ninth, as a former police officer, presence will underline the importance of women’s safety issues – something that has bothered all women in Delhi. Tenth, the media had no love lost for the BJP and TV cameras were following Kejriwal around for lack of a more interesting subject to cover. Bedi neutralises Kejriwal’s media advantage. Amit Shah has pulled out an ace with her entry. This may not necessarily guarantee the party victory, but it is now a fighting force with a potential general in place.