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MLAs want to avoid elections

Last Updated 10 June 2014, 20:19 IST

Delhi Assembly legislators from all parties do not want fresh elections but even after discussions with MLAs of rival parties they all seem to agree that there is no other way out.

At least five of the eight Congress legislators have admitted in private and at various forums that they do not want to face fresh polls as chances of their re-election are very low.

BJP legislators also confirmed on their very little chances to form government and feel fresh election would be an ideal way forward.

“One line of thinking in the party is that in the coming months the party’s central government would initiate projects like – solar panel installation at AIIMS and other Delhi government offices and Yamuna rejuvenation – and then aim at fresh elections,” said a BJP MLA.

The party has no hope of either the Congress or the AAP legislature party breaking up and lending support to a BJP-led government.

Former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti is also expecting fresh polls around October and said it is a matter of time.

Sources in the AAP said elections could be avoided if the Congress makes a public announcement and once again offers to back an AAP government.

However, Congress MLA Jai Kishen said the party could again support the AAP but before that former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal should “apologise” and props up a chief ministerial candidate other than Kejriwal.

“Also the Congress should get some cabinet berths,” said a Congress legislator.
Newly-elected South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri and Badarpur MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri – both BJP leaders – were recently in touch with Congress legislator Matin Ahmed to find a way to form a government without going into fresh elections.

Sources said the BJP could offer the Speaker’s post to an MLA who helps the party in the House.

While, Ahmed said there seems to be no alternative to fresh polls as the talks with the BJP leaders did not move forward.

Political rumours of a possible split in the Congress Legislature Party have been doing the rounds for quite some time but Delhi chief Arvinder Lovely said, “This can never happen. We have also passed a resolution not to support an AAP government again.”

The BJP has support of 29 MLAs in the 67-member House. The AAP has 26 MLAs, after party legislator M S Dhir was appointed the Speaker and there are three others.

At this stage, any chances of government formation without invoking the anti-defection law would require at least 20 BJP MLAs to break away and support a new combination, or, at least six Congress MLAs have to quit the party and form a new group.

In the case of the AAP, 18 members of the AAP legislature party will have to break away and form a new group.

The Assembly has been under suspended animation since February and no party in the 67-member House has a majority.

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(Published 10 June 2014, 20:19 IST)

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