BJP won’t indulge in horse-trading: Rajnath
The formation of Government in Delhi looked more evident on Thursday despite a political imbroglio surrounding the charges of horse trading by Aam Aadmi Party. Well-placed sources said the BJP is
awaiting the nod of its top leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi when is returns to India after attending the BRICS summit in Brazil. Sources said the BJP has already put the ball in the court of lieutenant Governor, saying it would consider Government formation if invited by the lG.
On Thursday, the BJP rubbished the charges of horse trading to form Government in Delhi, saying the party has never indulged in horse-trading and will not do so in future. Former BJP president and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “BJP has never done any horse-trading, nor will it do so in future. The question does not arise at all.” The Home Minister, however, evaded a direct reply on the possibility of BJP forming the Government and said only BJP president Amit Shah would be in a position to answer this. Asked whether there was any direction to Delhi lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to take initiatives for Government formation, the Home Minister said no such directive has been given by the Home Ministry.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the party has not taken any decision on Government formation in the national Capital. “I make it clear that my party has not taken any decision on forming Government,” he said. “It is up to the party president and our parliamentary board and they will decide... It is the right of the president and the Parliamentary party to take decision on it,” he said. Gadkari also termed as ‘baseless’ the allegations levelled against BJP by Kejriwal.
Newly-appointed Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay had on Wednesday said that the party would consider taking a shot at Government formation if invited by the lG. All BJP MlAs and MPs in Delhi are believed to be in favour of the party forming the Government and a final decision on it is expected to be taken when Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from the BRICS summit. Former Delhi Finance Minister Jagdish Mukhi is considered to be in the race for Chief Minister’s post. BJP will require the support of five additional MlAs to prove majority in the Assembly and sources said the party was confident of getting them.