Centre to give AAP a few more days to form govt: Shinde

The Centre today said it will give a few more days to Aam Admi Party (AAP) to explore the possibility of forming a government in Delhi where political uncertainty continues after the recent Assembly elections threw a hung verdict.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters that the Central government has asked the Lieutenant Governor as to how much time the AAP has sought for formation of government in Delhi.

"We will give some more days (to AAP) for government formation in Delhi. This a democratic process," he said.

Shinde's statement indicated that the Central government was not in a hurry to impose President's rule in Delhi and ready to wait at least till Monday when AAP, with 28 MLAs in its kitty, makes public its decision whether to form the government after eliciting views from the people.

AAP had sought time from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to take a decision whether to form government after Congress, with eight MLAs, offered outside support to the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

The party had set 18 conditions for Congress and BJP before it can decide on taking their support to form a government. Congress had then put the ball in AAP's court, saying 16 of its 18 demands needed just administrative decisions and had nothing to do with Parliament or assembly.

However, AAP on Tuesday had announced that it would distribute 25 lakh copies of letters seeking people's views on the issue of government formation and then replies will be accepted till Sunday.

In a House of 70, BJP(31) and its ally Akali Dal(1) together have 32 seats, four short of majority while AAP has 28 seats.

The Lt Governor has already recommended that Delhi be put under President's rule with the new assembly in suspended animation among other options.

Imposition of central rule was was one of the options listed by Jung in his report submitted to the President after his consultations with BJP, the single largest party, followed by AAP.