PTI
PATNA, JANUARY 24
BJP today strongly denied “borrowing” Kiran Bedi to win Assembly elections in Delhi and played down the controversy over the charge that she had asked India Against Corruption movement leaders to go soft on the saffron party.
“BJP has been in favour of including eminent personalities from different walks of life into the party and Kiran Bedi is one such example,” BJP President Amit Shah told reporters here.To a question regarding controversy over the charge that Kiran Bedi had asked leaders of India Against Corruption to go soft on BJP, Shah said, “India Against Corruption was not Aam Admi Party (AAP).”
Praising Kiran Bedi, he said, “She has been an outstanding police officer who fought against corruption throughout her life.”
“Women in Delhi have faith on her (Kiran Bedi) as she has done much for their security,” he said.
In response to a question on government formation in Jammu & Kashmir, Shah said, “A unique mandate has come in J&K. BJP is having talks with PDP, but I cannot say how and when a government will be formed there.”
When asked if BJP was in touch with Rajnikanth, Shah said in a lighter vein, “the whole country is in touch with him and everybody loves his movies.”
In reply to a question on absence of actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha from his programme, Shah said he was there in party programme yesterday.
But, today because of a marriage in his family he was not there, he said.
‘TV channel helping AAP to win Delhi poll’
BJP President Amit Shah today asked people to be “cautious” about the news dished out by a private Hindi TV channel apparently helping Aam Admi Party to win the Delhi assembly elections.
“The TV channel is having an agenda to launch Aam Admi Party and help Kejriwal win election in Delhi…There cannot be a bigger example of yellow journalism than this,” Shah told reporters here.
The BJP chief’s statement came in response to a question by the channel reporter as to why the party has “borrowed” Kiran Bedi for Delhi election.
When some media persons mostly of TV channels asked angrily as how he could decide which channel public should watch, Shah said “I have expressed my opinion and its on the people whether to take it or not.”
He defended inclusion of Kiran Bedi into the party and said BJP had always been in favour of inclusion of eminent personalities from different walks of lives into its fold.
On a question about taking cricketer Saurav Ganguly in the party to take on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, Shah said it was not yet decided.