Where is BJP in Delhi Election Fray?

Public Debate of 3 CM Candiates a Must

    Where is BJP in Delhi Election Fray?
     Presidential type public debate -- at least two ahead
of Feb.7th voing -- is the ideal exercise to prepare Delhi
residents to make a calculated, considered, well-informed
choice of the right person as the next CM.
        Is BJP’s Delhi election being high jacked by Anna Hazare and his
once right and left hand captains – Kiran Bedi and Kejriwal – who fought
India against corruption (IAC)? Are they IAC in a new avthar trying to rise
up like a Phoenix from the ashes? In all this where is BJP? Is BJP fighting
a proxy war in Delhi? Or is it too short of charismatic leaders now?

       The fact is many of the old timers who put in years of hard work for
the party reportedly are up in arms against Bedi imported from outside, nay
from enemy camp (Bedi was an outspoken critic of corruption in BJP) for
CM’s post. They would accept her only “grudgingly” if imposed by High
command, one of the critics was heard saying on TV interview. Other
discontented elements are going berserk making it look like a revolt in the
Delhi camp. It is not good at all for Modiji, looked up to by the whole world
as an exceptional man of vision, conviction and action, rarely seen in
Indian politics.
       Everybody was looking forward to the battle for India’s capital to
descend like a spectacular fireworks-explosion in all rainbow colours for
the excitement and entertainment of the entire nation, because of the much
advertised Modi wave. That does not seem to be happening.

                      Birds of Same Feather: Kejri-Bedi
       Kejri and Bedi basically are birds of the same feather. That is why
they joined hands with Anna and worked with him long, trying to cleanse
India of corruption without entering politics as they both were in agreement
that politics is “dirty business”. But you can’t clean dirt without getting
oneself dirty in the process. Such thinking prompted Arvind to float AAP
while Bedi and Anna stayed firm in their conviction to stay clear of all party

politics. Now Bedi also got converted to the ways of Arvind. The question is
if it was a self propelled move or one attracted by the bait of a CM’s post
offered on a platter by some one.

        To a question by Headlines Today Anchor, what made her change
her long held conviction, she had refused to give a straight answer. Then
he asked who invited her to jump into Politics. To this she said that some
one did. On further question to name that person she said it was a “very
dependable” person but refused to name him. Does it mean that either
Modiji or Amit Shah offered her the CM’s post to entice her to join BJP? If
her answer is “Yes”, one may blame her for being opportunist. If it was a
self-propelled conversion, unlike “Khar Wapsi,” then she is quite justified.
To change one’s mind for good reasons, is the mark of a wise person
(Mutare consilium est sapientis) as a Latin saying goes.

       Both of them besides were mutual admirers. While Bedi may be bit
overbearing and showy, Kejri seems more quite-going and humble.
Otherwise he would not have told Bedi she was worthy of CM’s post. That
makes a face to face open debate between them a bit awkward. . Yet she
had first agreed to a presidential style debate with Arvind, but when AAP
challenged her, she changed her mind, betraying cowardice than courage
in spite of media people presenting them as Iron Lady and Iron Man.

                             Public Debate,a Must
      In any case a presidential type public debate, as I suggested in my
earlier article is quite in order for more than one reason. First of all this
time, BJP’s was a presidential style campaign unleashed from the very
start and carried forward with full vigour by Modiji himself. Thus his
towering success came to be attributed to that style of publicity and
campaign. On the national level it was all led by Modi himself and he did it
to perfection addressing any number of meetings from dawn to dusk.

       So on state level, logically it had to be led by the one who gets
elected or nominated as the CM candidate. In the present instance it is
Kiran Bedi herself in Delhi. That it did not happen in Maharashtra, Jarkand,
Hariyana,JK etc was a diversion from the set pattern, either because Modi
wave was convincingly strong or certain states lacked credible leaders
craving for a CM.post. In Delhi instead there were many hoping to become
one. Hence heart burns for too many and infighting in the party, still going
on in subdued manner even after rebukes from Amit Shah to fall in line.

This discontent is shared also by Delhi voters because Bedi was booed by
a section of the crowd on her road shows. But the BJP top brass has all
resources, men and money to put up a thousand time more colourful
campaign than AAP is capable of.

                      Affidavits Speak Volumes

      Why? Because as per affidavits filed with nomination papers, Bedi
has assets worth 11.65 crores while Ajay Maken, Congress tops with
12.43 crores(some reports say 16 crores) and Kejri has just 2.09 crores
which is less than the Rs 2.1.4 lakhs he filed in 2013-14..After every stint in
parliament those who enter politics as a profession usually multiply their
assets. This has not happened in the case of Kejriwal.His assets has gone
down from what he declared last year. So he has not made any money
through his political profession.

        I am not saying revelation of assets by candidates is picture
perfect. Even Kiran Bedi was accused of inflating her travel bills and
getting nearly double the amount of what she actually had to pay, when she
was with Anna Hazare fighting India against corruption. The allegation was
about travel bills for which she used to get concessions as a Magsaysay
awarded, but she instead got the full amount from those who used to invite
her for various functions to distant places.This of course, is pittance
compared to the big loot professional politicians usually make. Caesar’s
wife must be above reproach. Only in that sense she was blamed at that
time. The principle is those who are faithful and trust worthy in small things
only can be trusted with great things without any watch and ward. Such
people are a very rare species in our corrupt and corrupting Indian politics.

                      Kejri Flouting Election Rules?
       This reminds me of two allegations about Kejriwal. The first is that he
flouted election rules by encouraging people to accept bribe money offered
by BJP and congress, but to vote for AAP. If that is wrong, the principle,
“set a thief to catch a thief” is also wrong. Those who win elections one
after another by throwing in any amount of money are not gong to strop it,
come what may. They belong to the group that tasted blood. Only way to
punish them is to take what is offered unsolicited and vote always
according to one’s conscience. That way the bribe giver’s malpractice is

made doubly costly and punished with zero benefit to himself/herself. What
is wrong is to demand bribe money and vote only for the one who gives it.

      A second one is the public rebuke to Kejri and unsolicited (“Master
stroke”) praise to Kiran Bedi, by Shanti Bhushan, the reputed lawyer and
founder member of AAP. Very good at first sight for Bedi, but read it along
with what Delhi’s Legal fraternity had to say: “The legal fraternity wants to
place on record that the decision to make her (Ms. Bedi) the Chief
Ministerial candidate on the basis of her administrative skill is contrary to
the records.” Reports say she never could complete full term in any office
posted. Quoting Mr. Khosla, the Hindu of Jan.22nd reports “Ms. Bedi lacks
administrative skill..... is known for creating circumstances to come in news.
Thus the legal fraternity in no circumstances shall ever accept her as the
Chief Minister of Delhi.”

       As for Kejriwal     he has great admiration for Bhushan, both as
mentor and father figure. A person of that stature, in my view, has the
freedom, and also the duty of calling his wards, Kejri and Bedi, privately
and correcting them mildly or wildly, before going public with humiliating
statements. For consolation Bhushan also said: “The AAP offered her the
chief minister’s position a year ago, it has been said. This means that
Arvind himself thought that she was a good candidate. But she turned it
down. Perhaps, she always was pro-BJP.”

                    Bedi Immature CM for Delhi?
       With all respect to Shanti Bhushan, I would not do what he did. I am
inclined to agree with Prasanth Bhushan, his son. Let readers make their
own judgments. From my own experience as a news watcher and writer I
find more democracy and transparency in AAP than in Congress or BJP
and in that order. For example see how dissent, big or small, is quelled
both in Congress (praising Modi by Janardan Dwivedi) and revolt in BJP
(of CM hopefuls) against Bedi.
       Most disturbing in this context is the Republic day happening: self
projection of Kiran Bedi at front raw as a partisan election stunt, her
shameless shouting: “I am the woman of the moment” in Delhi elections
and denial of invitation to three more deserving persons, to Kejri a former
Delhi CM who expressed his desire to attend, to Sheila Dhkshit, a three

time CM of Delhi as well as NO to Mamatha of West Bengal, to allow her
float about empowering ten lakh women, her great achievement.
        The “most immature person to be CM of Delhi” was the unanimous
vociferous comment from all, except the BJP spokes person, on Arnab
Gosami’s TV debate the following day. If these were not blatant misuse of
the country’s all inclusive Republic Day, to promote petty, dirty, shameful
partisan politics by a few puny minds, what else were they? Obama did not
come as a BJP invitee to canvass for Bedi. Now Obama is gone and Bedi
is left no crutch to hang on. So who will help, every time she opens her
mouth and puts her foot into it? For this, it looks, BJP is putting the whole
battalion of its cabinet ministers to prop her up against a single handed
Kejri, which now makes him literally a David against Goliath. It is for the
enlightened Delhi voters to say an emphatic NO to these self-destructive
undemocratic partisan political forces.
                                 Public Debate a Must
       One final point: both the BJP and AAP CM candidates must be
judged (congress being no serious contender) for promotion or punishment
only after listening to their election manifesto or concrete programme for
Delhi. That can’t be done by listening to mud slinging at each other
whenever they get a public speaking opportunity. It can be done only in a
planned presidential type debate by taking questions from the public and
allowing each CM candidate to give answers           in order to enlighten the
voting public with solid reasons for voting for one candidate rather than
another.
      In this debate all three CM candidates should be given equal time on a
public platform to be quizzed by people and journalists. It would be
advisable to arrange two such public discussions ahead of Delhi Polls on
Feb.7th. In the second debate, the defects of the first debate – there are
bound to many in the first attempt – could be corrected.
     The public spat that is going on among the three CM candidates is
quite unbecoming of an enlightened democracy. Topics for such debates
could be problems plaguing Delhi, like electricity, water, bribe taking, crime,
women’s safety, slums of the poor, affordable schools for elementary
education, Jan Lokpal, Statehood for Delhi etc. This could be the best
service Delhi Elections can render to the ordinary voting public who do not
have the time and opportunity to study the pros and cons of various burning
issues as well as the strengths and weaknesses of three CMs, to make use
of their voting rights responsibly.
                    Can be contacted at jkottoor@asianetindia.com
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