Was making Kiran Bedi the CM candidate the right choice? RSS mouthpiece

Days after the BJP rout in Delhi polls, RSS mouthpiece 'Panchjanya' has raised questions on making Kiran Bedi chief ministerial candidate and wondered if lack of unity, planning or respecting sentiments of workers cost the party dearly.

Airing what some BJP leaders are believed to have stated in party circles, the RSS mouthpiece in an article has also asked the party to reflect on its loss and introspect instead of being despondent.

It bluntly asked whether some BJP leaders have nurtured a myth on their extreme acceptability among the public and whether BJP banked much on the 'Modi wave' in Delhi.

"The question is why BJP lost? Was making Kiran Bedi the chief ministerial candidate the right decision? Would there have been different results had Harshvardhan or some other Delhi leader been projected as chief ministerial candidate, or had BJP contested without projecting anyone?" a separate article in the weekly posed.

It also questioned, "Did BJP lose due to the lack of unity in the organization, planning and importantly, the respect for its workers' sentiments?"

The magazine's editor said, "BJP leaders should at least give an answer that besides its ideology and party workers who remain committed under all circumstances what other assets does it have? If some people in the government and organisation feel that the party is a machine that will act at their whims, these results has dispelled this myth."

It said, "It is the result of the workers' dedication and commitment that BJP's votebank was intact. It is the nationalist ideology in the party workers that has helped BJP. The party should shun despondency and instrospect instead."

Questioning the BJP top brass, it said, "Have BJP leaders not nurtured any myth on their extreme acceptability? Or did the appeal for getting a stamp on their individual acceptability among the public not crossed the limits? It is the party's responsibility to ponder over these issues."