 "BJP, AAP renew their political joust in Delhi")
On Wednesday, BJP expressed its interest in forming a government. But, on Thursday, it rejected speculation that it would do any horse-trading to engineer a majority in the Delhi Assembly.
Former BJP president and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said his party had never done horse-trading in the past, nor will it do so in future. “The question does not arise at all,” Singh said.
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The home minister, however, evaded a direct question on reports that his party was keen to form a government in Delhi. “Please ask our party president Amit Shah. I am not aware of it. I have no information,” he said. He denied that the home ministry had asked Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to take steps towards government formation in Delhi.
Party sources reiterated the BJP was keen to form a government with support from two Independents, and possibly a breakaway faction of the Congress. The sources claimed no member of legislative Assembly (MLA) was keen to face yet another election. This, a section in the party believes, might help it form and run a minority government.
The party’s primary concern at this juncture, sources said, was to ensure the AAP’s support base is eroded. It is an objective the BJP shares with the Congress.
A section of BJP is of the view that more the delay in holding the next Assembly elections, the weaker and more discredited AAP was likely to get. The reasoning is that a government, even if it survives a year or two, would serve this purpose.
Meanwhile, AAP on Thursday decided to launch an agitation on the issue of power tariffs. The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has announced an 8.32 per cent increase. With its protests, AAP would hope to catch the imagination both of the electorate as well win back some of the media space.
BJP is looking at the Centre bailing out Delhi citizens by announcing a subsidy. As the Delhi Assembly is in suspended animation and the state under President’s Rule, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is scheduled to table the Budget for Delhi in Parliament on Friday.
The Assembly has 70 members. The BJP is the single largest party with 32 seats, along with its ally Akali Dal, in the December 2013 Assembly election. The AAP had won 28 and Congress eight seats. AAP, which had formed the government with the Congress support, quit in February. If no government is formed, then elections should be held by February next year.
Currently, BJP along with Akali Dal has 29 MLAs after three of its MLAs – Harsh Vardhan, Parvesh Verma and Rambir Bidhuri — quit after being elected to the Lok Sabha. AAP has 27 legislators, having expelled an MLA for anti-party activity. The BJP could hope for support from the former AAP MLA and another independent. It would still be short of four to reach the halfway mark of 34 in the 67-member House.
A final decision on government formation will be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled to return from Brazil late Thursday night.