New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal reiterated today that there is no question of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) providing any kind of support that would allow the BJP to form the government in Delhi. Mr Kejriwal said that his colleague, Prashant Bhushan, who took a different stand on NDTV last night, was expressing his personal and not the party opinion. (
No question of supporting BJP, Prashant Bhushan's comments his own view: Arvind Kejriwal)
Mr Bhushan had suggested that the AAP could provide issue-based support to the BJP.
In the recent Delhi elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party, but was blocked by the AAP from getting the majority it needs to form the government. The ruling Congress was relegated to third place.
Both the BJP and the AAP say they're not entitled to form the government and will serve in the opposition. That could force the Lieutenant Governor, Najeeb Jung, to call for President's Rule.
In the first election it contested, the one-year-old AAP landed a whopping 28 seats, just three behind the BJP. That's led to grudging admiration from other parties and the title of India's new hot start-up in newspapers.
Determined to capitalize on the momentum, Mr Kejriwal said his party is now planning its strategy for the big national election next year. "There are many good people in the existing political parties who feel stifled. I urge them to either revolt within their parties and improve them or leave their parties and come join us," the 44-year-old former tax inspector said.
The AAP promised voters in Delhi an alternative to what it describes as the two deeply corrupt and self-serving main parties in Delhi, the congress and the BJP. AAP leaders say aligning with the BJP now would amount to betrayal.
Reading the mood of the public, the BJP says it will not indulge in horse-trading and try to win over AAP legislators. With national elections just months away, the BJP wants to signal that it will abstain from the machinations it would take to form a majority in order to govern Delhi.