NEW DELHI: She's not chief minister yet but she's already a dictator. At least that's what BJP chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi's campaign assistant Narendra Tandon claimed on Monday, after quitting the party. Curiously, he withdrew his resignation within hours, apologising for the controversy his actions had caused.
"I became a bit emotional and submitted the resignation. I have withdrawn the resignation and I will continue to work for party," Tandon told media.
Tandon had reportedly met Amit Shah at the BJP headquarters after filing his resignation. Afterwards, he announced that he would continue working for the party.
Earlier in the day, Tandon had written a letter to Shah tendering his resignation. The campaign assistant for Bedi had claimed in the letter that he "could not tolerate" the way she gave her "dictations" to party workers.
"Her (Kiran Bedi) aides used to insult me on every issue," Tandon said in his letter.
"I resigned from BJP today because of Bedi's dictatorial attitude," Tandon said. "It was difficult for me to continue under her."
Bedi has refused to comment on the matter.
However other BJP leaders dismissed Tandon has a "low-level functionary" who had "created trouble" in the past.
"His past record is not very impressive. He has created trouble for the party in the past as well. He had filed nomination against party candidate Rajni Abbi in the 2013 assembly polls in Timarpur constituency," Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.
Meanwhile Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said that Tandon had resigned twice earlier as well.
Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay on accepting resignation of Kiran Bedi's campaign aide Narendra Tandon https://t.co/RIcpyuJj6o
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 2, 2015
Tandon was general secretary of Delhi University's Students Union in late 1990s during his stint with BJP's ABVP. He rose through the party ranks and later became secretary of Delhi BJP when O P Kohli was made the city unit chief.
Delhi goes to polls on February 7, with counting of votes set to take place on February 10.
(with agency inputs)