Congress party leader Ajay Maken on Wednesday said that Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi had refused to participate in a three-way public debate as she was afraid to face the questions posed by the people.
“Kiran Bedi refused to have a public debate. She refused because she is afraid of facing the questions. When Kiran Bediji can’t debate and answer people’s questions, then how can she give governance to Delhi?” said Maken, who is contesting from the Sadar Bazaar constituency.
He, however, invited Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal for an open debate.
“And Kejriwal ji, if Kiran Bedi ji can’t join us for debate so what? Let’s you and I have a debate. Let us have a debate in a television studio, let there be a moderator, let there be 4-5 journalists to ask questions. If Arvind Kejriwal has a vision on how to run Delhi then he will come for a debate with me. If Kiran Bedi comes then it is fine otherwise we will leave her chair empty and have a debate,” Maken added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kejriwal had invited the former IPS officer for a public debate, after congratulating her for being nominated as the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate for the Delhi polls. Both leaders are filing their nomination papers for the forthcoming Delhi polls today.
While the AAP convenor will contest polls from the New Delhi constituency, where he defeated three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in the 2013 assembly polls, Bedi is being fielded from the Krishna Nagar constituency, which is a BJP stronghold.
Kejriwal and Bedi, who were part of the anti-corruption movement led by activist Anna Hazare before the former decided to form his own political party, also led road shows across the city before filing their respective nomination papers today.
The scrutiny of nominations will take place tomorrow, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is January 24.
The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held in a single phase on February 7, with the counting of votes set to take place on February 10. (ANI)