NEW DELHI, Oct 28:
Even as the Supreme Court put the issue on a fast forward mode, BJP today appeared undecided on taking a shot at power in Delhi and may prefer fresh polls early next year.
However, its rivals AAP and Congress accused BJP of “running away” from the elections by not taking a decision on whether to end President’s Rule.
Sources said party President Amit Shah and senior leaders and Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh were in favour of the party forming a Government though some other leaders were opposed to it.
Though Delhi BJP leaders maintained that a “final decision” on whether to go for polls or form a Government was yet to be taken, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the party was ready for elections.
“We are ready for elections. The Centre will take its decision once the Lt Governor sends his recommendation after consulting everybody. There is no question of forming a Government by horse-trading,” he said.
The sources said the Delhi unit of the party was earlier eager to form Government but last week it had conveyed to the Central leadership its readiness to face fresh polls either in January or February following BJP’s electoral victories in Haryana and Maharashtra.
“We will take a decision at an appropriate time once we are invited to form a Government,” Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay told a press conference, refusing to comment further on the issue.
Another leader said the party was contemplating all three possibilities – going to fresh polls, forming a Government and taking a decision after the bypolls on November 25 in three constituencies in Delhi.
“The Central leadership will take a final call on the issue,” Delhi BJP General Secretary Ramesh Bidhuri said.
Currently BJP, along with ally Akali Dal’s lone MLA, has 29 legislators and will require the support of five more MLAs to prove majority in the 67-member Assembly if it decides to form the Government. The party is hoping of getting support of expelled AAP MLA Vinod Kumar Binny and Independent MLA from Mundka Ramvir Shokeen.
BJP had emerged the single largest party in the December Assembly polls winning 31 seats but fell four seats short of a simple majority. It refused to form Government then, saying it will not resort to any “unfair means” to take over the reins.
Its strength came down to 28 after the Lok Sabha polls as three MLAs Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma were elected to the Parliament. With their resignation, the strength of the Assembly also went down to 67. The bypolls to the three seats will be held on November 25.
Naidu said a final decision will be taken after LG submits a final report to the Centre.
“After he submits his report the Government will take a decision as per the Constitution. There is no pressure from BJP to do anything. Why should BJP hesitate to face polls? If elections take place today, there are all chances of us getting a majority,” he claimed.
Meanwhile AAP and Congress charged the BJP of “running away” from fresh polls after the apex court rapped the Centre and the Lt Governor over the delay in Government formation.
Earlier, the Centre told the court that President Pranab Mukherjee has given his consent to Delhi LG’s proposal to invite BJP to form the Government in the national capital.
The Lt Governor last month had sent a report to Mukherjee seeking permission to invite BJP to form a Government.
“BJP is not confident of winning Assembly elections, that is why they are delaying it. It is playing dirty politics over the issue. If BJP had the magic numbers, it would have formed the Government,” AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal said.
He also accused Jung of favouring one particular party instead of protecting the Constitution. “It is very sad that instead of protecting constitution, the Lt Governor is working on the direction of one political party,” he said.
Congress, too, hit out at BJP, accusing it of adopting different “tactics” to delay Assembly elections in Delhi.
“From day one we are saying that BJP is running away from fresh elections. They are just finding excuses one after another,” said DPCC chief Arvinder Singh, adding, “It is clear that they don’t have the numbers, inviting BJP to form the Government is not reasonable.”
Reacting sharply to AAP’s criticism, BJP charged Kejriwal with leaving Delhiites in a limbo after he quit office.
AAP had formed the Government in Delhi with the support of Congress. The Government led by Kejriwal had resigned on 14 February after the party’s pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress. President’s Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17.
Jung had not favoured dissolution of the Delhi Assembly as recommended by the council of ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the Assembly in suspended animation. (PTI)
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