Bhushan is regarded as the patriarch of Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well as its biggest donor. And while he has declared himself to be staunchly against the BJP, Bhushan's views are reflective of the difficulty that voters energised by 2011's India Against Corruption (IAC) movement may face — choosing between Kejriwal and Bedi, who emerged as leaders during that campaign. The first went on to form AAP, of which Shanti Bhushan and son Prashant Bhushan became an integral part. Bedi chose to stay away from politics until she joined the BJP last week.
Speaking to ET on Bedi's recent induction into the BJP and her elevation as its chief ministerial candidate, Bhushan felt that the former policewoman is as good a choice as Kejriwal. "She has excellent credentials. She was a police officer with the highest integrity, an IIT scholar from Delhi and she also won the Magsaysay award. She is in no way inferior to Arvind Kejriwal," he said.
"Therefore, if she becomes the chief minister, she will provide a very honest government to Delhi," said Bhushan, who was Union law minister in the Morarji Desai government (1977-79).
AAP spokesperson Ashutosh said the party didn't share Bhushan's view."There is no comparison between Kejriwal and Bedi," he said.
"She should explain why she joined a party which she herself had described as the most corrupt party and even dissuaded people from voting for it. Kejriwal has not compromised as far as corruption is concerned. Kiran Bedi's decision to join BJP is an opportunistic step and puts a question mark on her participation in the Anna movement." Anna Hazare, whose fast against corruption captured the imagination of the nation, reportedly hasn't been too happy about Bedi's decision — he's said to have avoided taking her calls.
But Bhushan said that the Delhi poll battle should be a proud moment for the anti-graft crusader of Ralegaon Siddhi. "Anna should be very happy that one of his disciples is going to be the CM of Delhi — either Arvind Kejriwal or Kiran Bedi. This shows that the movement has had a great effect on Indian politics," he said. Bhushan said his endorsement of Bedi didn't extend to her party.
"I am against the BJP because of its communal agenda. But I know Kiran very well and she is a secular and an honest person and does not have a communal agenda. I don't think she will let BJP's communal politics work in Delhi," he said. "She is a woman and her first priority on the list is women's safety. Having been a police officer, she can provide women's safety in a big way. Therefore, I don't think there is anything lacking in her except that she is in BJP."
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