Kiran Bedi's Offer to Play Doctor Upsets some in BJP, Jaitley to the Rescue

NEW DELHIJanuary 28, 2015(Agency)  Worried that Kiran Bedi, its presumptive chief minister, has not been able to match the crowds that her main rival Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party is drawing at election rallies, the BJP is bringing out its big guns in the capital with only 10 days left for polling.Key party strategist Arun Jaitley has been tasked with bringing together the BJP's campaign efforts in the capital with regular meetings at the Delhi BJP office and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four rallies in the next few days.Of particular worry is the disinterest of senior Delhi BJP leaders in supporting Ms Bedi's campaign, sources said. But they emphasised that Mr Jaitley, who is also the finance minister of the country, will only be "providing inputs" as he is busy prepping the Narendra Modi government's first full year budget to be presented at the end of February. The BJP made a shift in strategy for Delhi, choosing to project a local leader rather than bank solely on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity as it has done in recent state elections. Union minister Nirmala Sitaraman denied that nervousness over Mr Kejriwal has made the BJP bring out its heavy ammunition. "It's part of the BJP's political strategy and warfare



to help the state unit. Once you near the deadline there are many things you need to do. Party workers work with a lot of intentions and emotions and it is important to take everyone along," she said. Senior Delhi leaders are upset that Ms Bedi, a former top cop and political novice, was para-dropped as the CM candidate four days after she joined the BJP. She has also made comments that have not quite endeared her to her colleagues. At a roadshow in Krishna Nagar, the safe seat picked for her by the BJP, union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan was conspicuous by his absence yesterday. The minister - who was the Krishna Nagar MLA five times before contesting national elections last year - had so far accompanied Ms Bedi on all her tours. Party sources said the minister is upset over Ms Bedi saying at a rally, "Doctor sahib has been taking care of Krishna Nagar, now I will also be your doctor.""This is belittling the contribution of Dr Harsh Vardhan who has not only worked from Krishna Nagar for five terms but has for decades served people here as a doctor," said a BJP leader. Dr Harsh Vardhan, a medical doctor, was the BJP's candidate for chief minister in the last elections, and is widely seen to have been snubbed when the party leadership chose to front Ms