Smriti Irani assigned new mission; will Modi's wish be fulfilled by former Union minister?

NEW DELHI: Stunned Rahul Gandhi in the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency in 2014 and defeated Rahul Gandhi in the Congress's monopoly constituency in 2019. Unexpected defeat in the constituency in 2024. Former Union minister Smriti Irani has been on a break from public life for quite some time now. Now, the firebrand woman leader of the BJP is once again active in politics with a new responsibility.

Smriti Irani's area of work is at the local level, based in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP central leadership are targeting only one thing when it comes to appointing the former Union minister in Delhi. This is to capture power in the state in the assembly elections due next year. The BJP reckons it can end Arvind Kejriwal's win streak with a formidable opponent.

Smriti Irani has been actively participating in the BJP's membership campaign, which began on September 2. The party's programmes in seven of the 14 districts of the national capital are proceeding under her leadership. In the 70-member Delhi Assembly, the BJP had won three seats in 2015 and eight in 2020. While Kiran Bedi was announced as the chief ministerial candidate for the first time, the BJP had to enter the poll fray without a face to project in 2020.

BJP's aim is to prevent Kejriwal and the AAP from coming to power for the third time in Delhi. With Smriti Irani's appointment, BJP is hoping to create an impression that the fight is between Kejriwal and Smriti Irani and to give more confidence to the party workers.

However, it is learnt that the focus of the party-level discussions is the formula for preparing the party for the elections under Smriti Irani's supervision instead of projecting Smriti Irani as the Chief Minister of Delhi. However, projecting union ministers and national leaders as the chief ministerial candidates of the states is a tactic that has benefitted BJP in many places.

According to the BJP, Kejriwal's arrest and imprisonment in the Delhi liquor policy case has affected his personal image and tarnished his anti-corruption reputation. While starting preparations under a well-known leader like Smriti Irani for elections, which are due a year later, will increase the chances of BJP making gains, there is also a preoccupation within the party that further moves must be made after declaring Smriti Irani as the chief ministerial candidate.