Kiran Bedi with Anna Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi (file pic)
l and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may be winning a growing legion of supporters but one of his former associates, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, has openly endorsed
Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.
"For me it's India First! Stable, Well Governed, Administered, Accountable and Inclusive.As a an independent voter,my vote is for NaMo (sic)," tweeted Ms Bedi, who once campaigned alongside Mr Kejriwal for Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement.
"Any one of us who wants a scam free country cannot vote back Congress!India needs stability and experienced hands to provide for all!(sic)," Ms Bedi added in her tweets late on Thursday night.
Ms Bedi, however, later clarified that her stand is that of an individual and she will not campaign for any political party in the run-up to the national elections. "I am speaking as a citizen. I am not a part of any political party," Ms Bedi said today.
Ms Bedi's endorsement of Mr Modi came less than two weeks after her message to Mr Kejriwal when took charge as Delhi's Chief Minister on December 28. "May God protect Arvind, his team and Aam Admi who has driven the change in value systems in politics. Good for the entire country!" Ms Bedi had tweeted.
The Delhi Chief Minister said today Ms Bedi's open endorsement of Mr Modi has not upset him. "Why would I be upset? She is an individual. She has the right to her opinion," Mr Kejriwal told NDTV.
Ahead of the assembly elections in Delhi, Mr Kejriwal had offered Ms Bedi to join AAP and fight the assembly elections as the party's chief ministerial candidate. Ms Bedi declined the offer. Three months later, AAP made a spectacular debut in Delhi, winning 28 of the 70 seats, and eventually went on to form the government with support from the Congress.
Mr Kejriwal had invited Ms Bedi for his swearing-in ceremony at the Ramlila Maidan, which was attended by over one lakh people. However, Ms Bedi did not attend the event, saying she was travelling.
Ms Bedi's support for Mr Modi, ahead of the national election due by May, has raised eyebrows but this is not the first time Ms Bedi has backed the Gujarat Chief Minister.
In October, while delivering a speech in Ahmadabad, she had said, "The man is delivering and has brought good development in Gujarat. His nomination (as BJP's PM candidate) brings more clarity among voters to make their choices."