delhi

Updated: Jan 18, 2015 08:09 IST

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday intensified its attack on BJP over the induction of Kiran Bedi into the party, saying it was done to save Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face in case of a defeat of the saffron party which was a "sinking ship". AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said the former IPS officer was inducted into the BJP as none of its earlier tactics worked in Delhi. "The BJP had started rallies in Delhi by its 300 MPs where nobody came...then they brought their ministers, nobody turned up there, too. And then the PM itself addressed a rally which was a flop show.

"Now they have brought Kiran Bedi. The BJP is a sinking ship. Will she be able to save it?" Kejriwal said in a rally in Adarsh Nagar constituency.

The party said that Bedi was inducted in the BJP to save Modi's face in the event of a defeat.

"Kiran Bedi will act as a cushion between Modi and Kejriwal because BJP was projecting the two leaders to be in a direct fight in the upcoming elections. The BJP wants to shield Modi and save him from embarrassment in the event of party's defeat," AAP leader Yogendra Yadav told a news conference.

AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh, who were also present at the news conference, accused the BJP of making a 'U-turn' on the statehood issue.

"The BJP in its manifestos of Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections had promised reduction of electricity tariff by 30 per cent and granting statehood to Delhi," Ashutosh said.

Bedi, a former team Anna member, had said on Friday full statehood for Delhi was not the "central" issue even as she stressed on the need for ensuring women's security and cleanliness in the national capital.

AAP also asked Bedi to come clean on issues such as bringing political parties under the ambit of the RTI, which she was in favour of previously.

65-year-old Bedi joined the BJP on Friday, praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.