The Newshour Debate: Battle locked & loaded - 2

Brushing aside dissent within, BJP named new-entrant Kiran Bedi, a former IPS officer, as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the February seven Delhi Assembly elections and declared 62 of the 70 candidates. Making the announcement after a meetings of the BJP Parliamentary Board and the Central election Comimittee, party president Amit Shah said the decision to field 65-year-old Bedi was "unanimous". He said BJP will contest the polls for the 70-member Assembly under Bedi's leadership. She will contest from Krishna Nagar seat in East Delhi, considered a BJP stronghold and a traditional party seat from where Harshvardhan had contested last time. The Parliamentary Board and CEC meetings were attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj among others. "The BJP Parliamentary board has decided that Kiran Bedi will be BJP's Chief Ministeerial face in Delhi Assembly polls. As a police officer, she has won the confidence of people of Delhi and has been a known name against corruption and crime," Shah said. "I am sure BJP under Kiran Bedi will fulfil the aspirations of people of Delhi. I am confident that Kiran Bedi's leadership will ensure victory for BJP in the upcoming Delhi elections," Shah said at a press conference after the meeting of the Parliamentary Board. BJP General Secretary and Union Minister J P Nadda announced the names of 62 candidates finalised by the CEC.

Bedi thanked BJP for reposing faith in her. "I had already expressed my readiness to contest from any seat. The entire Delhi is close to my heart. We will develop a good Delhi," she said. Asked about voices of dissent over Bedi spearheading the party's poll campaign in the national capital, Shah said there was no resentment and everone was working as one team to ensure BJP's victory. BJP's Delhi leaders, including Mukhi, had earlier expressed reservations over Bedi being inducted without their being consulted