Why BJP will find it tough to field Kiran Bedi as Delhi's CM candidate

New Delhi: Kiran Bedi might've made her intentions quite clear in last few months that it's Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) & Narendra Modi who she supports, but her restlessness to join BJP fold could see a lot of opposition from within the saffron camp. Her Tweets such as “Let not a single vote go waste! Delhi must reap full rewards of ModiSarkar!"; "I no more rule out entering Indian political service on capability basis. I am moving towards some flexibility in this" clearly signalled her desperation to join the resurgent Modi wave that swept away not just the opposition but the entire nation. It is interesting to note that just a few months before the 2013 Delhi elections, the former IPS officer clearly ruled herself out of active politics. But cut to 2014 and you'll find her statements such as - “I will consider myself to be ready for it if such an offer is made. If they ask me then I will accept it. I had refused earlier when they asked, but now I will accept." Quite clearly, it's now upto Modi & co to just whisper the magical words to her 'Yes, you can!' But it's not going to be a walk in the park for Bedi. If reports, as published by Firstpost.com, are to be believed - new found aspiration to become BJP’s chief ministerial candidate nominee in Delhi has not gone down well with the party leaders. They are deeply resentful for two reasons – without being even a member of the BJP she is aiming for the topmost executive position. Second, it comes after the parliamentary election results, and there is no denying the Modi wave swept across nation, Delhi included. She is vying for the job now that it is a 'no risk, all gain' proposition. Delhi BJP president, Dr Harshvardhan, now an MP who was party’s chief ministerial candidate last year, told Firstpost, “See as far as my latest knowledge of state of affairs in my party goes this issue, (Kiran Bedi) is a non issue”. Few other senior leaders had similar response: a clear `No’ to Bedi's chief ministerial ambition. But that does not mean there will be resistance to her joining the BJP. The party leaders objections relate only to leading the party in the Delhi elections and vying for the chief minister’s post. "You don’t offer such primacy of position to a fresh entrant to the party," said another BJP leader. Sources said Bedi was offered a ticket in both assembly and parliamentary elections over the past year, but she refused. She perhaps was unsure of BJP's prospects and thus didn’t want to take a risk. “She wanted a zero risk situation. She turned us away when we asked her to join the party and lend her name to our campaign. Now that Modi wave has swept the nation, the foot soldiers tireless works have yielded the harvest, she wants to thrive on it," a woman BJP leader said. Sources, however, insist Bedi will still have a lot to gain by joining the party. She could be offered a position in the government with a degree of functional autonomy where her experience and expertise in matters of dealing with the crime, police reforms, prisons, women and child welfare could be utilised.