With imposition of President’s Rule in Delhi, there is no likelihood of an immediate re-election in the national Capital. The existing rules do not permit elections for at least 12 months after the President’s Rule comes into force in Delhi.
For other States, the timeframe is six months. However, the current political situation in the Capital is most favourable to the Congress which was reduced to rubble in the December 4 Assembly elections last year.
Sources said the Congress would want the Assembly elections only after the lok Sabha polls so that the party could plan its future course of action after poll results at the Centre. On the other hand, the Opposition BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party want early elections in Delhi.
The AAP immediately after stepping down from Government on Friday recommended dissolution of the Delhi legislative Assembly with the hope of re-elections. Similarly, the BJP on Saturday said it was also ready to face elections at any given point of time. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Saturday reiterated their demand for dissolution of Delhi Assembly and to conduct the election thereafter.
“legally the lieutenant-Governor is bound to accept the Cabinet decision of the AAP Government which was holding the majority in the House till the end of the session since the House cleared the other subsidy related Bills sine die,” he said.
Political experts said the Congress party which is ruling at the Centre would never push for early elections primarily to prevent the AAP from gaining advantage of the Jan lokpal Bill that was defeated in the Assembly and led to fall of the Government. “The Congress cannot afford to suffer further erosion in its votebank in Delhi. Any delay in re-elections will only benefit the Congress. Imposition of President’s Rule in Delhi will provide a favourable atmosphere to the party,” sources said.
Notably, the AAP has already put the blame on the BJP and the Congress for defeat of the Jan lokpal Bill and also accused the two parties of being hand-in-glove. On the other hand, the BJP would also be keen on fresh elections preferably along side the lok Sabha elections so as to gain maximum benefit from the Modi wave. The BJP was immensely benefited by Modi’s rallies in the Assembly polls and the party hopes to repeat the magic.