Will not object to Narendra Modi government presenting Budget amid Assembly polls: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said he will not object to the Narendra Modi government presenting its Budget in the midst of Assembly polls despite pressure on him to approach the Election Commission seeking its postponement.

He said his view is that budget should not be postponed and would write to the Centre to present a "good budget for the country and Delhi" with adequate provisions for the development of the capital, including allocation for improving Metro network, fight pollution, cleaning of Yamuna and improving transport infrastructure.

Kejriwal said no government is allowed to introduce new policies when the Model Code of Conduct is in place but the Centre should be allowed to announce as much as it can for the development of the capital.

"Due to the Code of Conduct, there cannot be new announcements about Delhi. But I appeal to the Centre to make announcements for Delhi in the coming budget on pollution, sewer, transport etc. Development of Delhi should not stop because of the election," he said.

"We believe politics should be kept out of Delhi's development...There has been pressure on me from within the party and outside to approach the EC objecting to the presentation of Budget on February 1. I am not in agreement with this. I think politics should come in the way of development of Delhi," Kejriwal told reporters.

Asked about claims by some sitting MLAs who were not renominated for fighting elections, he said one can find that these kinds of allegations always come up when someone do not get it. AAP has dropped 15 sitting MLAs and one of them N D Sharma had alleged that the seats were sold.

Kejriwal, who is likely to file his nomination papers from New Delhi on January 20, said he hoped that those who were dropped will remain with the party.

On possible poaching, he said, "all parties will try it. But they (sitting MLAs) are our family. I hope they will remain with us."