New Delhi: Soon after BJP CM candidate Harsh Vardhan rejected Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung’s offer to form a government and prove his majority on the floor of the Delhi Assembly, the focus immediately shifted to the Congress, which offered unconditional support to the Aam Aadmi Party to form the new government.
AAP founder-chief Arvind Kerjriwal is now due to meet Jung on Saturday.
After a two-hour discussion with the Lt. Gov, Harsh Vardhan categorically refused to form the government, saying his party was short of four seats in the House.
“Circumstances are taking us towards another election. We are not to blame for that,” Vardhan said. The BJP leader said his party stood for honesty. “Politics has to be done with honesty. It is better for us to sit in the Opposition and work for the people.”
Jung sent a note to the Union home ministry on Harsh Vardhan's inability to form the government. Sources said all eight Congress MLAs want to extend unconditional support to the AAP. In an hour-long meeting with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, they expressed unwillingness to go in for a new election.
Asked if his party would now back the AAP, Gandhi said: “It is under consideration.”
Asked why the Congress was keen to extend its “unconditional” support to the AAP, a newly elected Congress MLA said, "If they form the government, they will stand exposed as they won't be able to fulfill any of the unrealistic problems they had made to the electorate."
AAP has rejected the Congress offer outright. Arvind Kejriwal said that he would neither extend nor accept any support from either the Congress or the BJP as his party had contested against the corrupt practices of the two parties and any alignment with either of the two parties would affect AAP's image.
Next: Congress hints at backing AAP
Congress hints at backing AAP
New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday sent signals that all eight newly-elected Congress MLAs want to extend unconditional support to the AAP and help it to form government in the national capital.
In an hour-long meeting with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, they expressed unwillingness to go in for a new election.
Asked if his party would now back the AAP, Mr Gandhi said: “It is under consideration.”
In political circles, many were discussing whether AAP candidate Kumar Viswas would take on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Though Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam dismissed it as a threat to the party’s prospects in the general elections. “They are welcome to contest from anywhere in the country.”
Asked why the Congress was keen to extend its support to the AAP, a newly elected Congress MLA said, “ If they form the government, they will stand exposed as they won’t be able to fulfill any of the unrealistic problems they had made to the electorate.”
What is significant is the fact that AICC general secretary and in-charge of Delhi elections, Shakeel Ahmed, had openly expressed his party’s willingness to extend unconditional support to the AAP. It is AAP which has outrightly rejected the Congress offer. Arvind Kejriwal has clearly stated that he would neither extend nor accept any support from either the Congress or the BJP.
His primary argument is that his party had contested against the corrupt practices of the two parties and any alignment with any of the two outfits would badly affect his party’s image.
Meanwhile, after meeting Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, BJP CM candiate Harshvardhan stated its inability to form a government.
Mr Najeeb Jung sent a note to the Union home ministry on the BJP stand and also invited Aam Aadmi Party Convener Arvind Kejriwal to discuss government formation. Kejriwal received a call from the LG office in the evening soon after the BJP’s declined the offer to form a government citing lack of majority in the 70-member House.
