AAP to seek referendum on Delhi govt formation

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday asked Lt Governor Najeeb Jung not to dissolve the Delhi Assembly anytime soon, saying it will hold public meetings across Delhi to know whether the party should form the government again.

In a meeting, Kejriwal told Jung that the party was deliberating on whether it should form the government. Kejriwal also handed over a letter to Jung in which he said AAP would hold series of public meetings to ascertain people's views on the issue, top sources told PTI.

The AAP leader's change of stand came five days after the party drew a blank in Lok Sabha polls in Delhi. Following AAP's dismal performance, a majority of AAP MLAs had favoured formation of the government by the party again with support of Congress.

A senior AAP leader said the party was planning to hold "referendum" in the city in the next few days to know people's views on the issue. After quitting government on February 14, Kejriwal and his council of ministers had recommended immediate dissolution of the assembly to pave way for fresh elections.

As Jung did not dissolve the assembly, the party had even filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the Lt Governor's decision. Hours after Kejriwal's meeting with Jung, Congress ruled out extending support to AAP again if it tries to return to power and said it would prefer fresh polls.

DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said under no circumstances Congress would extend support to AAP to form government and the party would prefer fresh assembly elections to backing Kejriwal who "betrayed" the people of Delhi by quitting power in February.

"It is Congress' decision that under no circumstances we will we extend support to AAP. There is no question of supporting AAP again," Lovely told a press conference.