Delhi poll: The Modi+Bedi factor might be too hot for Kejriwal

The fight between the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Delhi assembly is getting intense with each passing day.

Just a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the AAP leader and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, calling him an "anarchist" indirectly, the latter resorted to his traditional method of 'picking and hitting' against Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay, accusing him over alleged private holdings.

On Thursday, the BJP asserted its position ahead of the February 7 poll after former top cop and Kejriwal's colleague during the days of Anna Hazare's crusade formally joined its ranks.

Both BJP & AAP know their biggest foes but BJP playing it smarter

Both the BJP and AAP know who is their biggest opponent in the upcoming election but while executing a strategy to deal with the foremost enemy, the BJP is perhaps doing it a bit more smartly.

Here is why.

Kejriwal is clearly the AAP's biggest and the most recognised face. He was the party's chief minister for 49 days between December 2013 and February 2014.

While he earned all the bouquets for whatever noise the AAP had made during its days of rise, it was also him who faced flak for quitting the responsibility all of a sudden. Modi, being the face of the BJP, chalked out the strategy rightly by taking on Kejriwal directly.

Targetting Satish Upadhyay is of little use for only Modi matters in BJP

But Kejriwal missed the bus by targeting Satish Upadhyay in turn. He restarted his shoot-and-scoot method of threatening to expose politicians' corrupt deals but the timing and purpose are not right this time.

Shoot and scoot method not powerful enough against BJP as it was against Congress

Kejriwal's threats of exposing politicians were substantial against the previous Congress-led government for it was badly hit by corruption from the word go but they are certainly not going to work against the BJP, which has just come to power at the Centre with a massive mandate.

Kejriwal's mission against BJP leader Nitin Gadkari is an example of how such a strategy could boomerang instead of producing anything worthy.

Moreover, the choice of selecting Satish Upadhyay will do Kejriwal little good for the BJP will go to the Delhi polling under prime minister Modi's leadership, as it has been doing in various other poll-bound states, and not of Upadhyay.

Modi adds that extra something in the Delhi election and Kejriwal's localised ploy might find it tough to beat

The AAP leader succeeded in 2013 because the fight was a localised one against the then Sheila Dikshit government which was seriously undone by anti-incumbency of 15 years.

If Delhi still prefers the 'apolitical', Bedi could prove to be a better option

In 2015, the fight is no more a local one for Modi himself has evolved into a national and even international phenomenon. One doubts whether Kejriwal really has the weapon to negate this very challenge from Modi.

Kiran Bedi's arrival might take the fight beyond Kejriwal's reach

The arrival of Kiran Bedi makes it doubly difficult for Kejriwal, no matter what he says about the BJP's "unorganised" functioning. Former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi too has joined the BJP and is set to campaign for the party. [Kiran Bedi lashes out at Kejriwal in an exclusive interview with Oneindia]

The loss of his two former colleagues is certainly going to damage Kejriwal's image and reliability as a leader for both Bedi and Ilmi spoke openly about the AAP's 'undesirable' way of functioning.

If the 'apolitical' still matters in Delhi poll, fresh and reputed Kiran Bedi could be a better option than the tried & tested Kejriwal

If the apolitical is a choice for the people of Delhi to vote for this time as well, then the presence of Bedi in the BJP will certainly dilute Kejriwal's appeal. He might still have an influence among the modest sections, but the combination of Modi and Bedi factors could be too much for him to handle.