New Delhi: The growing involvement of former Amethi MP Smriti Irani in BJP activities in Delhi has created a buzz within the party’s city unit over her possible “role” in local politics ahead of next year’s assembly elections. Born and raised in Delhi, the former Union minister has been actively involved in programmes related to the party’s membership drive in the city that was launched on September 2.
She has been assigned “supervision” of the membership drive in seven out of the Delhi BJP’s 14 district units, party leaders said. Party insiders also claimed Irani had purchased a house in south Delhi, hinting at her further involvement in the city unit’s activities.
“These developments come amid a section of party leaders pushing for the projection of a face who would lead the charge in the Delhi Assembly polls to give a tough fight to AAP led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,” said a senior BJP leader.
In the 2020 assembly polls, the BJP contested without a face or declaring any leader as its chief ministerial candidate. It managed to win eight out the 70 seats while AAP won the remainder, he noted.
Another top Delhi BJP leader said if the idea of going to the polls with a chief ministerial candidate gained currency in the coming weeks, the question over a suitable leader for the responsibility would naturally come up.
“In such a scenario, Irani, along with other leaders such as MPs Manoj Tiwari and Bansuri Swaraj, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, and former West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma, could be potential contenders for the role,” he said.
The entire party rallying behind one leader will send a message of “unity” and also streamline campaigning, he claimed.
The BJP had contested the 2015 assembly polls with Kiran Bedi as its chief ministerial candidate but failed miserably, said some leaders who believe it was not a good idea to have a face for the elections.
The debate is still open. The national leadership is aware of the matter and may take a call on it later on, they said.
The party leaders maintained that the debate on a chief ministerial face could intensify in the coming days if AAP chief Kejriwal — currently under judicial custody in Tihar jail in the excise policy case — got bail.
The Supreme Court is due to pronounce its order on Kejriwal’s bail plea on Friday.
If Kejriwal comes out and becomes involved in political activities, the BJP’s task becomes even tougher, they added.
Irani, who participated in a membership programme in Chandni Chowk along with local MP Praveen Khandelwal, emphasised on strengthening the BJP at the ground level, calling booth-level workers the source of power behind the party’s success and growth.
Earlier, she made a three-day organisational visit to the Delhi BJP under the membership campaign, attending programmes and addressing party workers and supporters in Naveen Shahdara, Karol Bagh and New Delhi, the leaders added.