BJP won’t stake claim, but House put in suspended animation
The Union Cabinet on Saturday urged the President of India to promulgate President’s Rule in the Capital by keeping the Delhi legislative Assembly under suspended animation.The Union Cabinet’s decision came on lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung’s recommendation of President’s Rule.
The l-G has sent his report on the political situation in Delhi along with Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation and the Cabinet’s decision to President Pranab Mukherjee through the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal has lashed out at the l-G for not recommending dissolution of the House as per the Cabinet’s decision, alleging that he was “openly flouting” the decisions taken by a majority Government.
“I am questioning the logic of his decision (of not recommending dissolution of the House). He (l-G) did not agree with many of our decisions. Our Cabinet took the decision of holding this session outside the House. He did not agree to that. He was openly flouting the Constitution and I don’t know why. This decision is completely wrong because any recommendation by an elected Government is normally binding on the l-G,” Kejriwal said.
Political experts say that keeping the Assembly in suspended animation will suit the Congress as it would not like to go for Assembly polls along with lok Sabha polls in May. The Congress would like to see the results of the lok Sabha elections and then decide the future course of action vis-à-vis Delhi Assembly polls.
“The Congress fears that it may face further erosion of its support base if it gives in to Kejriwal’s recommendation of dissolution of the Assembly. Congress leaders also want to see how much of the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s base can Kejriwal dent in the lok Sabha polls,” said political experts.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Dr Harsh Vardhan on Saturday indicated that the party was not interested in forming the Government. “There is no over-enthusiasm about forming the Government. Right now the ball is in the l-G’s court. let him decide. We will happily accept any situation. We are also ready to go to polls even if they take place next week,” he said.
Top sources said that in a report to the President, the l-G did not favour dissolution of the Delhi Assembly as recommended by the Council of Ministers headed by Kejriwal. Instead, the l-G recommended promulgation of President’s Rule in the Capital for a specified period, which is called ‘suspended animation’. If the period of ‘suspended animation’ ends and no party comes forward, the Capital will go in for re-polling. The l-G’s move keeps the option open for any political party or a combination of parties to try and form a Government in future.
Sources said Jung has conveyed to the Centre that the Capital be brought under a spell of President’s Rule as no party is in a position to form an alternative Government right now. Sources said that Jung has also sent, along with his report, the resignation letter of Kejriwal to the President for its acceptance.
When President’s Rule is imposed, the Assembly is kept in suspended animation for the first three to six months. Therefore, parties may work out ways to form a Government. The President’s Rule will end once a party stakes claim to form a Government. Then the l-G will ask the party to prove majority in the Assembly.
Under President’s Rule, the lieutenant Governor (l-G) will assume all the administrative powers of a Cabinet. All principal secretaries and bureaucrats will report to him and he will run the Government with their help. “The l-G will perform the role of the Chief Minister once President’s Rule is imposed in the Union Territory while the Chief Secretary will act as chief coordinator between the l-G and Principal Secretaries of each department,” said former Director-General of lok Sabha SK Sharma. It was further stated that as per the statutory provisions, Delhi may remain without an elected Assembly for a year. “Once President’s Rule is imposed, the l-G will assume all administrative powers of the State. The order for the proclamation of President’s Rule needs to be approved by Parliament. President’s Rule is for six months in case of States and in the case of Delhi, the cap is one year and can be extended, again subject to Parliament’s approval,” Sharma explained.