The announcement of Kiran Bedi as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate has led to some heartburn and some rejoicing in the party. Bedi joined the party only five days ago and she was declared its candidate for the top job yesterday. She will be contesting from Krishna Nagar constituency, a bastion of the saffron party in East Delhi.

New Delhi: The announcement of Kiran Bedi as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate has led to some heartburn and some rejoicing in the party. Bedi joined the party only five days ago and she was declared its candidate for the top job yesterday. She will be contesting from Krishna Nagar constituency, a bastion of the saffron party in East Delhi.

“We are upset over the party’s decision. Years of our loyal service to the party was disrespected and ignored. She is a newcomer and does not know the ABC of politics. Her selection for the top job shows favouritism is preferred over loyalty in the party,” a senior leader, who appeared to be extremely disturbed after the announcement of candidates, told Firstpost.

Now, a section of the party leaders feels that the BJP has started functioning like the Congress and there is no place for dissent. “Now, the BJP has started following the path of the Congress party. It appears that a kind of dictatorship is going on. We are expected to follow a leader about whose induction we were completely unaware,” said another leader.

On the other hand, for some leaders, the decision is a correct one. It has boosted the morale of workers who were stunned by the aggressive campaign of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

“Kiran Bedi’s projection as CM nominee is a welcome decision of the BJP. The party has picked a right candidate for the top post. She will help the party's prospects as she has decades of administrative experience and knows how to get things done,” party spokesman Ashwini Upadhyay told Firstpost. “She has worked on international assignments with the UN as well as on the streets to help children through her NGO,” he added.

Another party functionary, however, said that some leaders were sulking as their ambitions had been stifled.

Kiran Bedi’s hoarding vandalised by BJP workers

A hoarding of Bedi with Satish Upadhyay was vandalised outside the Delhi BJP headquarters at 14, Pandit Pant Marg soon after the former was officially declared as the CM choice.

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.

Young leader Nupur to take on Kejriwal

The BJP declared names of 62 candidates of the total of 70 seats for Delhi Assembly polls. Interestingly, it has expressed faith in all its sitting MLAs by giving them tickets. The candidates were finalised after an almost three-hour meeting of the BJP's Central Election Committee chaired by party chief Amit Shah and attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The party fielded Nupur Sharma, a young leader of the party who was president of the Delhi University Students Union, from New Delhi constituency against AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Earlier, there were speculations that Bedi might be fielded against Kejriwal but, according to sources, the top cop refused to fight against the AAP chief fearing defeat. She wanted to contest from Malviya Nagar but the party decided to give her a safer seat of Krishna Nagar.

AAP leader Shazia Ilmi will not contest the polls. She is interested in heading the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) if the BJP comes to power here, say party insiders.

Majority of new comers given tickets

Former Congress leader Krishna Tirath, who joined the BJP on Monday, was greeted with the party ticket to contest the elections from Patel Nagar in Central Delhi. Three AAP rebellions have also been given tickets. While Vinod Kumar Binny will take on AAP leader Manish Sisodia from Patparganj, former Delhi Assembly speaker MS Dheer and Anjum Dehlavi will fight the polls from Jangpura and Matia Mahal constituencies, respectively.

Bahujan Samaj Party defector Brahma Singh Bidhuri will contest from Okhla.

Representation of all sections, but Muslims again get a raw deal

The party claimed that it had tried to give representation to all sections of the society in the list of the candidates. A total of 20 youth, 13 Dalits and five women have been given the ticket. But only one Muslim candidate has been fielded this year as well.

“All sections of society have been taken into consideration and we have tried to give representation to all,” BJP general secretary JP Nadda said while announcing the names of the candidates after the meeting.

The party will fight the polls in alliance with Akali Dal and has given the outfit two seats. In addition to two Akali seats - Hari Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Shahdara and Kalkaji – the BJP did not announce the names of candidates in four seats - Mehrauli, Vikaspuri , Malviya Nagar and Greater Kailash.