Kiran Bedi joins BJP, vows 'Dilli ko dil banaenge'

Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Kiran Bedi on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, and vowed to work for the development of the national capital and make it the envy of the world via the experience she had gained while being part of the nation's police force.

"I have administrative experience of 40 years with the Delhi Police, in Mizoram, Goa, Chandigarh and in the Tihar Jail. And today, I have come to give that experience that I gained back to the city. Delhi today needs a strong, stable, corrupt-free and clear-headed government. The national capital dreams of becoming the number one capital in the world," Bedi said at a press conference here.

"None of the work that I did was done alone. I worked with the community, with the common man, with the youth and with women. 'Dilli ko dil banaenge'. Whatever experience, time and energy I have, I will devote to the nation and I am very happy that the BJP has given me the opportunity to do so," she added.

Joining the BJP in presence of BJP stalwarts like party president Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley and Prabhat Jha, Bedi hailed the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that she has spent her entire life in the service of the nation.

"I am here because of Prime Minister Modi's inspirational leadership. There has been a revival of hope in the country since May. I was ready to commit my life for social work and had thought that I will do whatever is in my power to help the country grow," she said.

"I took voluntary retirement in 2007, and I did so, because I felt that my time is very precious. When I was passed over for the post of Police Commissioner despite my seniority and DGP rank, and somebody who was two years junior to me was given the post, I decided to give it all up. I joined the police because I wanted to dedicate my life to the country. The post that I was given instead was not challenging enough for me," she added.

Bedi's move comes ahead of the February 7 legislative assembly elections in Delhi. The counting of the votes will take place on February 10.

Earlier, Shah formally welcomed Bedi into his party and announced that she would contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls. He however downplayed suggestions that she would be projected as the party's chief ministerial candidate, saying that was a decision for the party parliamentary board to make.

Bedi had earlier in the day tweeted that Delhi and Delhites do not deserve this kind of prolonged negativity.

"The capital needs integrity wisdom, experience, vision and implementation," she added on twitter.

There is speculation that the BJP could field her against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi assembly constituency in the elections next month.