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Delhi heading for re-election, announcement likely soon

by IBNS 03 Nov 2014, 01:13 am

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IBNS): Delhi is heading for re-election. A formal announcement regarding the dissolution of Assembly may be taken soon by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, as early as Monday evening, media reported.

According to information received, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly told Jung that the party is not inclined to make a minority government. It has been learnt that state leaders Satish Upadhyay and Jagdish Mukhi met Lieutenant Governor Monday morning and reportedly told him that BJP will not take a shot at forming a government. Media reported that the decision of not claiming to form government was taken on Sunday night after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah—both opined that an attempt to form government without adequate numbers may lead to disaster.

It has also been learnt that after meeting BJP leaders, Jung also met Congress leader Haroon Yusuf and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Monday. AAP has said it wants fresh elections in the next 35 days. The Congress' Arvinder Singh Lovely also said his party wants “dissolution of the assembly and early elections”.

NDTV reported, Jung could recommend the dissolution of the assembly in Delhi as early as Monday evening, which has been under President's Rule for the last eight months after Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the Chief Minister’s post after 49 days in office.

According to reports, if Lt Governor recommends dissolution of Delhi Assembly, fresh election might take place in February. In that case, by-elections scheduled for November 25 to three assembly seats vacated by the BJP will be scrapped.

Earlier, Kejriwal-led AAP had approached the top court seeking fresh elections in Delhi, which has been under President’s rule for the last more than eight months following the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal and his entire cabinet.

Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung wanted to invite political parties to explore possibility of government formation in Delhi after he was rapped by the Supreme Court's over delay in taking a decision on the issue.

During an earlier hearing the Supreme Court had criticized the Lt. Governor and the Centre for the stalemate in Delhi Assembly. The Supreme Court last week said it wants a decision by November 11.