Kiran Bedi announces plan to join Modi's BJP

Social activist and former senior police officer, Kiran Bedi, on Wednesday announced her plan to enter politics by joining Modi's BJP and serving the people of Delhi.

Chanting the BJP refrain 'good days have arrived,' she said that the country needs the Gujarat Model of governance.

"Good days have arrived. Good days are here, from New Delhi to full Delhi. I think that's what is needed. We need him here, his government even for entire Delhi and we need a Gujarat model for Delhi," she said.

The 64- year- old activist was the first woman officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS) which she joined in 1972. She is also the winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for her exceptional service to the government.

When the BJP had earlier asked her to join she had declined.

Bu now when she hinted at joining politics, she also mentioned her inclination towards the BJP because of her admiration for the visionary Modi.

"First time earlier when they offered it to me, they were very kind and generous, I respectfully said I'm not prepared and I was not mentally prepared for politics. Now I am ready to serve my country because I'm truly inspired by the very clear headed visionary leadership of Mr Narendra Modi. I'm truly inspired. I want to give my city all that I have," she said.

Congress party leader, Satyavrat Chaturvedi, was non committal when he said that anyone is free to join politics in India.

"Everyone has the right to join politics. If she thinks that she can do good work in politics, then she is most welcome, it's a very good thing," he said.

General Secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Tariq Anwar, however, said her joining the BJP may raise conflicts within the party as she is an outsider.

"See, this is a matter for the Bharatiya Janata Party, if they want her to join or to hand over some responsibility to her, it is entirely their matter. I believe if the party lets outsiders join the party and give them important responsibilities, then conflicts are bound to rise within the Bharatiya Janata Party. This will happen in any political party, if you bring an outsider and impose him over other party workers, then people may not tolerate it in the near future," he said.

Bedi has been part of the core team of India's anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare since 2011,who had campaigned for the Ombudsman Bill.