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BJP in catch-22 situation
BJP in Catch-22 Situation. Even as the Supreme Court put the issue on a fast forward mode, BJP appeared undecided on taking a shot at power in Delhi and may prefer fresh polls early next year.
- Appears undecided on taking shot at power in Delhi
- Shah, Gadkari, Rajnath in favour of forming a govt
- Party is ready for elections: Union minister Venkaiah
- AAP, Cong charge BJP of running away from polls
New Delhi: Even as the Supreme Court put the issue on a fast forward mode, BJP 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.
Naidu said a final decision will be taken after LG submits a final report to the Centre.
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.
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.
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. "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."
