New Delhi:
Delhi seemed a step closer to President's Rule and fresh elections on Friday evening, when the BJP's Harsh Vardhan informed Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung that his party does not have the numbers to form government in the national capital. Mr Jung has now invited the Aam Aadmi Party for talks on Saturday.
"Politics has to be done with honesty...We had several dreams for Delhi, we will have to wait for a full mandate to see them through," said the BJP's chief ministerial candidate after his meeting with Mr Jung.
The Lieutenant Governor has now invited Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party has 28 seats, second only to the BJP in a hung Delhi Assembly, to give government formation a shot.
The Aam Aadmi Party has so far been as adamant as the BJP that it will not attempt to cobble up the external support it needs to reach 36, the number of seats a party needs in Delhi to be able to form government. The BJP with 32, was four short.
Congress number 2 Rahul Gandhi said yesterday that his party, reduced to a humiliating eight seats by giant-killer AAP, still had "under consideration" the option of supporting a government led by Arvind Kejriwal. The tax-commissioner turned politician has already said "no, thank you."
AAP insists it will not accept or give support to either the BJP or the Congress and is prepping for fresh elections in Delhi.
So is the BJP, said Dr Harsh Vardhan after his meeting with the Lieutenant Governor.
"Circumstances are taking us towards another election. We are not to blame for that," he said.
If no party comes forward to form government, 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. If needed, they are likely to be held along with general elections due by May.