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Reports today suggested that Ilmi, who had contested and lost the 2014 Lok Sabha elections on AAP ticket against retired Army Chief V K Singh from Ghaziabad constituency, might campaign for the BJP in the assembly elections. She is yet to join the BJP.
Ilmi was unavailable for comment. Sources close to Ilmi said the former journalist was undecided about contesting against Kejriwal, for it could mean a third successive electoral loss for her. Apart from her Lok Sabha loss, Ilmi had lost her R K Puram seat in the 2013 assembly polls by the thinnest of margins of 326 votes. Ilmi is likely to desire a 'safer' seat, a wish the party will be unwilling to grant to a rank outsider.
Today, the BJP leadership put up a brave front about allegations from Kejriwal on its Delhi unit president Satish Upadhyay and vice president Ashish Sood. Kejriwal alleged that the two office bearers had a nexus with Delhi's private power distribution companies.
The BJP central leadership, however, rejected assessments these will damage the party's chances in the assembly polls. They asserted that Delhi will cast votes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of development and not so much on the reputation, or lack of it, of its local leaders.
However, some in Delhi BJP, including several Resident Welfare Associations, were of the view that the allegations might stick. The party fears more such "disclosures" by Kejriwal against its Delhi unit leaders.
It is also taking seriously Kejriwal's statement that the documents were being provided by somebody inside the BJP.
In the run up to the 2013 assembly polls, the AAP campaign had forced BJP to replace Vijay Goyal with Dr. Harsh Vardhan as its face in Delhi.
