After briefing Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the prevailing political situation in the national Capital in the wake of Supreme Court hearing, lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung said on Wednesday that he would be exploring the possibilities of Government formation with leaders of all political parties over the next few days.
Jung, who had come back to Delhi from abroad on Tuesday, apprised Singh on Wednesday of his move to call the parties before taking a final call to end the political uncertainty in the Capital — which has been under the President’s Rule since February after the AAP Government’s resignation.The lieutenant-Governor’s meeting with the Union Home Minister came a day after the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court rapped him and the Centre over the delay in taking a decision on Government formation in the city. The apex court will hear AAP’s plea on Thursday seeking dissolution of the Delhi Assembly, which has been under suspended animation.
Jung later issued a statement, “In view of the President’s approval to explore the possibility of installing a popular Government in Delhi, the lieutenant-Governor would be exploring the possibilities with the leaders of all political parties over the next few days.”
Sources said that the l-G, after holding consultations with the leaders of all the political parties would invite the BJP to stake its claim in Government formation. It is reliably learnt that the l-G will give a week or 10 days time to the BJP to prove its majority in the 67-member Assembly.
Any party which has the strength of 35 members can stake claim in Government formation.The BJP and its allies are left with 29 MlAs after three of its members got recently elected to the lok Sabha. The byelections to the three seats - Krishna Nagar, Tuglaqabad and Mehrauli - will be held on November 25. Not a single candidate has reportedly filed his nomination for the past two days for any of the three seats.
Meanwhile, if sources are to be believed, the BJP leadership was yet to take a decision on Government formation. But, majority of the BJP MlAs in Delhi are for forming the Government, “confident” about support from sections of the Congress and the AAP. They are, however, not in favour of fresh elections in Delhi as there will be no guarantee of who will win or who will lose. Party insiders said that a majority of legislators even from the AAP and the Congress were also not in favour of fresh elections.
On the other hand, the central leadership is yet to take up the issue of whether to go for Government formation or not, many MlAs have sounded the Delhi BJP leadership to take up their opinion with the party top brass.“The best thing for the BJP would be to wait and watch the outcome of the bypolls,” a senior saffron leader told The Pioneer. “If bypoll results go in favour of the BJP, the party can then go for fresh elections in all the 70 seats. Or, it should take a shot on Government formation and work relentlessly for the people of the city before going for fresh elections.”
All the major political parties were reportedly busy in discussions over the candidates they should field in the byelections. The outcome of which will be a clear indicator of the city’s voters. So, the byelections will be a major challenge for all the three major parties — the BJP, the Congress and the newbie AAP.