Discontent in Delhi BJP over Kiran Bedi, outsiders out in the open

New Delhi: The discontent brewing in the Delhi unit of the BJP over the nomination of former IPS officer Kiran Bedi as the party’s chief ministerial candidate came out in the open on Tuesday with supporters of Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay staging a protest in the party headquarters at 14, Pundit Pant Marg.

While Upadhyay sought to distance himself from those protesting in his support, the latter made it clear that they were unhappy about the central leadership paradropping Bedi on the Delhi unit and projecting her for the top job in the state. They chanted slogans against the central leadership and said that “they will not tolerate a parachute CM”. Upadhyay was also heckled outside Delhi BJP office.

Upadhyay, however, said he was not upset about not being named as CM candidate. “I am foot soldier of the party and I do not believe in assuming posts. I am sure that we will win Delhi elections under the leadership of Mrs Bedi,” he told Firstpost. “I am president of the party and if I contest, then who will manage and organise campaigns of my fellow candidates? I never asked the party leadership to field me,” he added.

Soon after the former top cop was declared as the CM choice, a hoarding of Bedi with Satish Upadhyay was vandalised outside the Delhi BJP headquarters. The banner showed Upadhyay and Bedi on one side and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on the other with the lines “Kiran Bedi ji ka Bhajapa me hardik swagat hain (A hearty welcome to Kiran Bedi in BJP)” written in the centre. Despite BJP leaders assuring that there is no rift within the party over naming of the CM candidate, the party top brass has been facing opposition over ‘outsider’ Bedi’s candidature. While announcing the name of Bedi, party chief Amit Shah had also told reporters last night that there was no dissent regarding her name.

Supporters of other leaders who have denied a party ticket also staged protest in different parts of the national capital. Former candidate Jai Bhagwan Aggarwal’s supporters blocked a road in Rohini against the candidature of Vijendra Gupta. Delhi BJP vice-president Shikha Rai’s supporters also took to the streets to protest denial of ticket to her.

Meanwhile, Dhir Singh Bidhuri has resigned the saffron party after being denied ticket from Okhla constituency. The party has fielded Bahujan Samaj Party defector Brahm Singh Bidhuri from the seat. Terming Brahm Singh a “bhrashtachari (corrupt)” candidate, Dhir Singh told Firstpost, “The party fielded a candidate who lost deposit in the previous assembly election.”