New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Friday received a report from the Lieutenant General Najeeb Jung on the stalemate over government formation in Delhi. In the report, Jung has sought President's nod to consult Bharatiya Janata Party, the single largest party in the Assembly on government formation, say sources.
Sources further added that the MHA is likely to tell the President that Centre had no objection with the L-G's request and that he could be given a go-ahead to consult the BJP.
Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari reacted to the latest development saying, "All options are being discussed. BJP will not indulge in horse trading in any circumstance."
Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday evening and discuss the situation.
The Congress, meanwhile, scoffed at BJP saying that it was running away from forming government.
In his report, Jung gave a detailed analysis of the political situation in the city and underlined the need to have an elected government in the city which is under President's rule since February 17 following resignation of the Aam Aadmi Party government which was in power for 49 days.
The Lt Governor said though no party has staked claim to form government in Delhi, the BJP could be invited to take the reins as it is the single largest party in the Assembly. Jung observed that all options for putting in place an elected government should be explored before contemplating holding of fresh polls.
Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said the party would examine if it was invited to form government.
Sources in BJP said almost all its MLAs and senior "Delhi leaders were not in favour of facing Assembly election immediately and have already conveyed their views to top leadership.
Following resignation of the three legislators, the strength of the Assembly had come down to 67 and BJP will require support of at least five more MLAs to reach the majority mark of 34 to prove its majority in the House.
The Aam Aadmi Party had won 28 seats in its debut Assembly elections and had later formed the government with outside support from Congress' eight MLAs.
The government led by Kejriwal had resigned on February 4 after the party's pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress.
President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17. The Lt Governor had not favoured dissolution of the Delhi Assembly as recommended by the Council of Ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the Assembly in suspended animation.
Last week the Congress and AAP had cautioned the Lt Governor not to take any "unconstitutional move" by inviting BJP to form government. Both the parties have been demanding immediate dissolution of the Assembly, saying keeping it in suspended animation will encourage horse trading.
BJP, along with its ally Akali Dal's one MLA, has 29 MLAs in the Assembly and it will require support of five more legislators to prove majority in the House.
BJP had won 31 seats in the 70-member Assembly but the number of BJP MLAs came down to 28 as three party legislators Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma had resigned from the Assembly after they were elected to Lok Sabha.
(With inputs from PTI)
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