Kiran-Kejriwal fight awaits a Bollywood type finish

Mr Arwind Kejriwal knows very well when to toss a teargas shell at the opponent’s camp. His allegation against BJP’s New Delhi chief Mr Satish Upadhyaya regarding his involvement in defective meter installation has startled BJP. Though the timing of Kejriwal’s revelation showed it was a last minute effort to change voters mind against BJP.

The teargas hurled from such a close distance that BJP had little time for damage control and convince people that they were not responsible for the galloping electricity bill. Kejriwal wasted no time to declare he has evidence to prove it. There is one thing very clear that Kejriwal wants to win Delhi desperately which could give him stepping stone to plunge into national politics. He asks Delhi people to give him another chance. His main vote bank is minority community, slum dwellers and middleclass in some pockets.

Three years back he had the overwhelming support which was growing leaps and bound. He was undoubtedly the new face of the middle class and the youth mass. Both Anna Hazare and Kejriwal made a mass movement highlighting the misrule of the UPA government. Anna’s Jan Satyagraha had the tacit support of the RSS activists who worked hard to supply all logistics to the mass movement. Kejirwal left Anna Hazare for political power as he said without political power nothing would move.

When he failed to get majority to form the government in Delhi he took the support of the Congress. After that he had no answer to give to his electorate. He fought Congress in the street, gullies and mahalas and made a mass movement for good governance.

The support from Congress choked his voice of freedom and painted him as a leader who was desperate to grab power. He said his decision was to save the cost of another election. After 49 days he dismantled his government and ran after Narendra Modi to Banaras.

New Delhi election was much awaited by Kejriwal to come to the center stage. Before the election fevers peaks up he targeted BJP chief in Delhi knowing very well that proving his allegation wrong will take time. But the allegation may upset BJP’s victory march which was clearly predicted by poll stars.

Hardly Kejriwal knew BJP had a more seasoned player Mr Amit Shah who had a Plan II. Before the smoke from the tear gas settled down the veteran former IPS officer and Megasasay awardee Kiran Bedi landed in Delhi’s murky politics to take on her one time comrade Kejriwal.

Kiran Bedi was not associated with BJP’s election campaign in the past and she had taken BJP’s membership online a few days before. BJP’s top brass might have thought Kiran Bedi is the right choice for Delhi’s Chief Ministership as she had police back ground as well as vast experience in social service. Her entry has caused ripples in BJP cadres. In fact, after Dr Harshvardhan’s exit there was no strong leader in BJP to face a tireless Kejriwal at his creative best.

The top brass did not want to take risk and Kiran Bedi’s entry has taken Kejriwal in surprise. In a clever retort, Kejriwal branded BJP as leaderless and said the party has no faith in its own leaders. Soon Mr Upadhyaya’s supporters were up in arm against Kiran Modi’s entry which was later doused by Mr Upadhyaya. The question is whether Kiran Bedi being a nonpolitician will be able to take everybody together in a typical BJP Hindu nationalist party.

Doing good work as a police officer is different and running a political party is different. But Kiran is not to be blamed for her presence in BJP. It is the BJP leaders in Delhi who could not project themselves. Some young BJP leaders in Delhi could have shaped themselves to be powerful and credible alternatives to Dr Harshvardhan who left a vacuum. Anyway, Kiran is in and Delhi election will decide the fate of millions of Delhites who have suffered a lot due to poor governance and increasing crime rate.

BJP top brass can change Kiran Bedi’s portfolio at any time for effective use of her service. Whoever becomes the Chief Minister has to save Delhi from progressive deterioration. Delhites need respite from the alarming increase in crime rate, food adulteration, traffic mess, air and water pollution and increase in cost of living. Outsourcing leaders in discreet manner may prove to be a proactive move for BJP also.

By Sudhansu R Das