After its impressive win in Maharashtra and Haryana on Sunday, the BJP is now homing in on the national Capital, which is under the President’s Rule since February this year. The stunning victory in the two Congress stronghold States has reinforced a continuing ‘Modi wave’ because of which the BJP’s Delhi cadre is now seen pushing for fresh elections.
With even the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) not being in favour of Government formation in Delhi, fresh polls seem to be all the more conducive for the Delhi BJP now. However, despite the new lease of confidence, party insiders have suggested some leaders still want the Delhi BJP to consider the option of Government formation in the city.
While lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is yet to send a formal invitation to the BJP to stake claim for Government formation, there is a buzz in the saffron brigade that the party may prefer to go for fresh elections. A senior BJP leader said that the party’s aim would be to get an absolute majority so that it could provide a stable Government for the next five years. Even the RSS is said to have recently advised the BJP to go for fresh elections.
Amid drums and crackers and female workers sporting bespoke ‘Modi kurtas’ to mark the saffron party’s victory in the two States, the Delhi BJP’s office at Pant Marg also had serious deliberations going on. Being well aware that the eyes are now on Delhi, leaders are desperately looking forward to lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung’s decision on the fate of the Capital. Giving a positive indication, Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyay said, “The results in the two States are unprecedented and historic. Centre will decide what will happen in Delhi, but we are ready for fresh elections. Our party leaders and workers are confident of sweeping a victory in Delhi in case an election happens.”
For Delhi BJP’s vice president Ashish Sood there couldn’t be a more apt time to contest elections here. “Most of our party leaders want fresh elections. The mood of the people is in our favour and the Modi magic is still prevalent. The results of Maharashtra and Haryana have just bolstered our confidence for repolls,” said Sood.
Similar was a reaction from Delhi BJP General Secretary and South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri. “We are ready for fresh election as soon as possible. We will push for early polls. The Modi wave continues to sweep the country and BJP will come to power with thumping majority if elections are held in Delhi again,” said Bidhuri, adding that the ‘Saffron Sunday’ proved that support for BJP was not waning and the party will be victorious even in Delhi. Going a step further, he even said that the party would turn down the offer if Jung invites them for Government formation.
Meanwhile, it would be wrong to state that the entire Delhi cadre of BJP is up for re-elections. A section of the party believes the situation in Delhi is different from Maharashtra and Haryana where the Government faced strong anti-incumbency. The Congress-NCP combine was in power in Maharashtra for 15 years while the Congress ruled Haryana for 10 years.
Another question before the BJP is whether it should project its chief ministerial candidate before the elections. The party had projected the then state unit head Dr Harsh Vardhan as the CM candidate before the Assembly poll in December last. Now, Dr Harsh Vardhan is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s like Haryana and Maharashtra, sources said the party may go to Assembly elections in Delhi without projecting anyone as its Chief Minister candidate.
There is also a constitutional hurdle before the Election Commission as it will have to get the results announced before November 30 for the three Assembly seats which fell vacant after three
BJP MlAs were elected to the lok Sabha. “The Election Commission will have to conduct the byelections in the three seats and announce their results before November 30,” a senior Congress leader said. Even the Centre’s stand on Government formation in Delhi would be known after Diwali as Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court was recently informed that Jung’s proposal to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking his response on inviting single-largest party, the BJP, to form a Government in the city, was still under consideration.
A few party leaders also believe the AAP’s popularity may not have waned even though it did not win a single seat in Delhi in the last lok Sabha election. Although the middle class swung to the BJP in the general election, there are no signs yet that the AAP’s core middle and lower class base has abandoned the party yet.