The Supreme Court’s appreciation of the Delhi lieutenant-Governor’s efforts for expediting the process of Government formation in the National Capital came as a shot in the arm for those in the Delhi BJP who have been pitching for idea that the party should stake claim to power. Moreover, the SC has given 11-day time to the l-G to explore the possibility of Government formation, the saffron party, which has renewed its focus on the bypolls, plans to announce its candidates to the three Assembly seats by early next week.
After the Supreme Court set November 11 as the deadline for exploring the possibility for Government formation, lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung on Thursday wrote to all parties saying he would begin consultations with them. At such a juncture, there are three major possibilities which the l-G would be exploring in the next few days — either to invite a party to stake claim in Government formation, or dissolve the Assembly or go ahead with the President’s Rule. This is for the first time that by-elections are being held in three seats when the Assembly is in a suspended animation.
After the apex court on Thursday said that there could also be the possibility of a minority Government with an outside support of some political outfit, there is also a debate in political circles as to whom the l-G should approach in BJP on the Government formation issue. The l-G can talk about the legislative matters either with the legislators or with the party’s legislative head. The BJP is yet to elect its legislative head. But sources said that the party could nominate Janakpuri MlA Jagdish Mukhi, a front-runner for the CM’s post, for talks on Government formation with the l-G.
Insiders in the BJP said that the party may take a final call on Government formation after the announcement of the bypoll results of the three seats. The party is likely to announce its candidates for the three seats — Krishna Nagar, Tughlakabad and Mehrauli only by early next week. Sources said that the party could nominate BJP MP from South Delhi and Delhi BJP general secretary Ramesh Bidhuri’s nephew Parvesh and from mehrauli BJP Chief Satish Upadhyay could contest.
