BJP seeks to woo lawyers in Delhi

BJP today sought to woo lawyers in the capital as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda addressed them at the party's local office in a bid to shed their antipathy towards its chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi.
Lawyers have been up in arms against Bedi with a group of them burning her effigy in Tis Hazari courts complex soon after BJP nominated her as its chief ministerial candidate for the Delhi Assembly polls on February 7.
They are protesting against the clampdown and baton charge by police on some members of their fraternity in Tis Hazari Court in 1988 when Bedi was the DCP (North).

Lawyers of district courts in the national capital have also condemned BJP's decision to nominate the former IPS officer as its chief ministerial candidate.
Addressing the community, both Jaitley and Gowda asked them to support the BJP in Delhi and not give power into the hands of those who have scant regard for law.
They told them that the party stood for its values and was the best option to ensure development of Delhi as a national capital comparable to the best in the world under the NDA regime headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A number of lawyers attending today's meeting practice in the high court and Supreme Court as well as district courts and many associated with 'Adhivakta Parishad', a lawyers' body affiliated to BJP were also present.

Sources said it was earlier planned that the two ministers would address lawyers in the High Court bar association or at Tis Hazari courts but the party decided to hold the meeting at its Delhi office instead to avoid any controversy or confrontation with those opposing Bedi.