New Delhi:
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is meeting the BJP's chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan in an attempt to begin the process of government formation in the national capital, which has given no party a clear majority in Assembly elections held last week.
Here are the 10 big developments in this story:
The BJP is the single largest party in Delhi, but is four short of a majority. Narendra Modi and other top party leaders have reportedly ruled out trying to form government by cobbling up a majority.
After his meeting with the Lieutenant Governor, Dr Harsh Vardhan will consult senior party leaders. The BJP has 31 seats and its ally the Akali Dal has one; a party needs 36 seats in the 70-member Assembly for a clear majority.
Last evening, President Pranab Mukherjee called Mr Jung to ask about the Delhi situation, amid speculation that President's Rule might have to be imposed with neither the BJP nor Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, which placed second with 28 seats, ready to stake claim to form government.
Today, Congress number 2 Rahul Gandhi, when asked whether his party will support an AAP government in Delhi, said "it is under consideration." The Congress has eight seats, which can help AAP to get to 36.
But Mr Kejriwal's party has refused to either give or take support to form a government. It says the onus is on the BJP as the single-largest party.
The BJP's reluctance to make any efforts to "manage numbers" is seen as a fallout of the public mood after Mr Kejriwal's one-year-old party claimed enormous voters' support with the promise of clean politics.
If no party comes forward for government formation the Lieutenant Governor will have to recommend President's Rule. He will then run the government with the help of advisers till fresh elections are held within six months.
Both the BJP and the AAP have told their newly-elected legislators to prepare for fresh elections.
Sources said Mr Jung is also considering sending a report to the Union Home Ministry before inviting any party to form the government.
In the 70-seat Delhi Assembly, the BJP has 31 MLAs, the Aam Aadmi Party has 28, the Congress has eight, the Akali Dal and Janata Dal United have one each and there is one Independent MLA.
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