BJP’s CM face still missing from posters

The party offices still have Modi, Shah and Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay as their mascots.

BJP chief Amit Shah may have announced Kiran Bedi as the party’s chief ministerial candidate, but the party’s city unit and candidates are still shying away from embracing her whole-heartedly.

The party’s 14, Pandit Pant Marg office is devoid of any posters or banners sporting Bedi’s pictures and continue to sport Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s posters. Even in many of the party’s district- and assembly-level offices, Bedi, the BJP’s CM nominee, isn’t finding many takers. The party offices still have Modi, Shah and Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay as their mascots.

In fact, most party candidates are still seeking votes in their constituencies in the name of Modi. A senior leader, on condition of anonymity, played down the issue, claiming it was only due to Bedi’s late entry into the electoral fray. “Another factor is, they have been conditioned to see Modi as their leader, so it will take a while for them to get used to seeking votes in the name of Bedi,” he said.

Sources in the BJP, however, said the trend of not taking the name of Bedi during campaigning was a sign of open dissent in the party regarding her nomination. Rebels are seeing it as an attempt to paradrop a candidate who does not have a history with the saffron party, the sources added.

Interestingly, Bedi is expected to make a “late appearance” in the BJP’s official campaign posters that would be relaunched soon. “We will relaunch the radio jingles too with Bedi in them soon and all the hoardings and posters will include her as well,” a senior party leader said.

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