New Delhi: BJP's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi has said that she would be responsible if the results of elections don't come in favor of the party.
Addressing a press conference yesterday, just after polling ended in Delhi, BJP's CM candidate Bedi said, "I will be responsible for win or loss of the BJP. I'm grateful to BJP for reposing its faith in me and assigning me this responsibility."
She said the exit poll surveys on Delhi elections are based on early voting hours, and that she is confident that surveys based on voter turnout from 3-6pm will be in favour of the Bhartiya Janata Party.
Kiran Bedi, 65, a first lady IPS officer, was named as candidate for CM of Delhi within four days of joining BJP last month.
"I would like to thank people of Delhi for voting in large numbers. Also, the current surveys are based on early voting hours, I'm confident surveys based on voter turnout from 3-6pm will be in favour of BJP. I'm grateful to BJP for reposing its faith in me and assigning me this responsibility," said Bedi.
It was a masterstroke by the BJP to bring in Bedi to counter Arvind Kejriwal as they share similar administrative experience and were associates on what was called Team Anna during Gandhian activist Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign in 2011.
However some saw this move as BJP struggling to find a leader in the party who could take on Kejriwal.
Kejriwal said Ms Bedi was "a very nice lady in the wrong party" and alleged that the BJP planned to use her as a scapegoat if it lost the Delhi election.
A record 67.14 per cent turnout was registered in the fiercely fought Delhi assembly polls where BJP and AAP are locked in a blockbuster fight, outcome of which may have ramifications on the national political scenario.
The voter turnout is 1.28 per cent higher than 65.86 per cent polling in 2013 Assembly elections. The polling percentage was 65.07 in the Lok Sabha polls in April, 2014.
The elections are being considered significant as a victory for BJP will increase its confidence ahead of assembly polls in Bihar later this year and in West Bengal in 2016 while a defeat may bolster the opposition.
The BJP, which is out of power in Delhi for the last 16 years, made a no holds barred effort to win the polls. It is being billed by many as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a description rejected by BJP.
The future of 673 candidates will be decided on February 10.
