Ilmi, Bedi
BJP leaders Kiran Bedi and Shazia Ilmi with Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay during a programme organised to welcome new entrants into the party on 16 January, 2015.IANS

Former Press Council chairman Markandey Katju defended his tweets in which he used 'beauty' as the yardstick to placate Shazia Ilmi over Kiran Bedi.

Kajtu in his tweet said that people vote for beautiful faces, adding that someone like him who would normally not have voted, would have done so on this occasion if Shazia was BJP's CM candidate, reports The Times of India.

Markandey Katju @mkatju

I regard Shazia Ilmi much more beautiful than Kiran Bedi. If Shazia had been made their C.M. candidate BJP wud have definitely won the Delhi

Markandey Katju @mkatju

elections. People vote for beautiful faces, as in Croatia. Even a person like me who does not vote wud have voted for Shazia.

After being criticised on Twitter for his views, Katju even had his defence ready via another tweet.

Markandey Katju @mkatju

Some people objected to my last tweet. My response is : develop a sense of humour. The tweet was in lighter vein,& shud be construed as such