File Photo of Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal called on Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung on Tuesday, amid demand by a section of AAP MLAs to explore the possibility of formation of government again by the party with the support of the Congress.
Hours after Mr Kejriwal's meeting with Mr Jung, the Congress party ruled out extending support to the AAP if it tries to return to power in Delhi. The Congress said it would prefer fresh polls. Sources confirmed the issue of formation of a government figured in the meeting between Mr Kejriwal and Mr Jung.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who was present in the half hour meeting with Mr Jung, described it as a "courtesy call".
Another party leader Sanjay Singh said, "The meeting was planned sometime back but could not take place earlier." Following AAP's dismal performance, some of its MLAs last week had mooted a proposal for the party to once again form the government in Delhi, with support from either BJP or Congress.
Sources in the AAP said that a majority of the sitting MLAs in the party do not want fresh election immediately worried that the "Modi wave" may flatten them if polls are held anytime soon.
The AAP had won 28 seats in its debut assembly elections in December last year and had later formed the government with outside support from Congress' eight MLAs. BJP along with its ally Akali Dal's one MLA had won 32 seats in the 70-member assembly.
The number of BJP MLAs has come down to 28 as three party legislators Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma have been elected to Parliament.
The government led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had resigned on February 14 this year, after the party's pet project- the Janlokpal Bill- could not be passed due to opposition from the Congress and the BJP.
President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17. Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had not favoured dissolution of the 70-member Delhi Assembly as recommended by the Council of Ministers headed by Mr Kejriwal and kept the Assembly in suspended animation.
The BJP has also said that it would prefer fresh election than forming a government through "manipulation".