Pulled up by Supreme Court, BJP Again Moves to Form a Govt in Delhi Without Polls

NEW DELHI: The BJP is back at exploring avenues for forming a “popular government” in Delhi.The Centre, facing a whiplash from the Supreme Court on the delay in forming a government in Delhi, has again tried to gain time by informing the court that President Pranab Mukherjee had agreed to Lt General Najeeb Jung’s proposal of forming a “popular government” in the state without fresh elections.

The apex court was not particularly impressed. The Bench headed by the Chief Justice HL Dattu observed, “every time just before a hearing, the Centre will come out with some statement, but nothing happens. We have given enough time but nothing came out.”

The government had no response to the courts question whether the BJP was in a position to form the government, merely saying that President’s Rule was valid until February. The court is hearing a petition filed by the Aam Aadmi Party asking for the dissolution of the Delhi Assembly and a fresh election. The hearing will continue into the next week, and perhaps beyond, with the central government having the legal authority to move towards forming a government with or without the court verdict on the issue.

The merry go-around continues with the BJP still short of the numbers to form a majority government in Delhi. AAP has adopted stonewalling tactics, releasing a video to prove that its members were being “bribed” by the BJP. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal told The Citizen earlier that there was no way the BJP could form the government without “bribing and breaking the other political parties.” He said that it was necessary thus, to dissolve the Assembly and have elections as the only available clean option.

The BJP had won 31 seats, but its strength is now 28 as three of its MLAs contested and won the Lok Sabha polls. AAP has 27 seats now, as one of its MLA’s left the party. The Congress has eight seats and is one with AAP in demanding fresh elections. Both parties have accused the BJP of trying to poach on MLAs, spotlights which are preventing underhand trade offs, at least till now.

After the victory in Maharashtra and Haryana the BJP was expected to go in for elections in Delhi that it had swept during the Lok Sabha polls. However, it does not appear too keen for elections in Delhi and is currently trying to ensure that it comes to power without elections. Kejriwal continues to insist, very publicly, that the ‘dirty tricks department’ of the BJP as he describes it was very much at work and his party has been working hard in the slums of Delhi in particular to consolidate the vote of the marginalised sections. This, sources said, continues to unnerve the BJP that does not want to take the risk of losing Delhi at this stage to AAP or a coalition of forces opposed to it.