Party puts Jung through the wringer for his delayed decision on a foregone conclusion
With the fast paced political developments in the national Capital deciding the fate of the Delhi Assembly on Monday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was quick to latch on to the emerging political scenario and questioned lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on the eight-month long delay for “a decision that was known right from the beginning.” AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and second in command, Manish Sisodia, met Jung on Monday evening and requested him to dissolve the Delhi Assembly at the earliest and hold fresh elections.
Reminding its political adversaries that AAP was the “only party that has been demanding fresh polls since the start”, it questioned the timing of Najeeb Jung’s “swift” action.
“This is something that Jung could have done way back in July. We fail to understand why it took him so much time to call all the three parties and get the final stand. The BJP also appeared in a fix throughout which makes one doubt the Jung’s indifference about Delhi’s political scenario all this while. It was only after the Supreme Court slammed the Centre and the lieutenant Governor that both have woken up to the cause,” said a senior AAP leader.
After meeting Jung at 6 pm at Raj Niwas, AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that the lG informed them that the two other parties — BJP and the Congress too favoured fresh polls. “Our stand is what it was eight months ago. We told him (Jung) we want the Delhi Assembly to be dissolved as soon as possible,” said Sisodia outside lG House at Civil lines.
Once Jung issued a formal notification about no party being ready for Government formation, Kejriwal tweeted, “Finally… Congratulations to the people of Delhi… In last 8 months every effort was made to “buy” our MlAs. They withstood all pressures and lived up to people’s expectations. Salute them.”
Earlier Monday, Jung invited all the parties to discuss the possibility of Government formation in Delhi, which has been under the President’s Rule since February 17. Kejriwal had first declined to meet Jung at 2 pm, saying he had received the invitation for the meeting at 12.50 pm. later, the meeting was rescheduled to 6 pm.
With the BJP being tightlipped about their stand, the AAP sought to know from Jung and the saffron party BJP’s “stand” on the issue before they met the lieutenant Governor. In a letter to Jung, Kejriwal said he would like to know the stand taken on Government formation by BJP, the single-largest party in the Assembly.
“I am sure you would already have had a discussion with BJP, which is the single-largest party. I would be grateful if you could tell us what their ‘formal’ stand is on this issue,” Kejriwal wrote.