Delhi logjam: Sushilkumar Shinde gives time, AAP hits back

The Aam Aadmi Party reiterated that it will take a final decision on government formation on December 23, after seeking public opinion in the capital until the weekend.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday reiterated that it will take a final decision on government formation on December 23, after seeking public opinion in the capital until the weekend. "We’ll decide on Monday what is to be done regarding government formation in Delhi, said AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh. Commenting on Sushilkumar Shinde`s statement that the Centre was ready to give some more time to AAP, Singh said that the newly-formed party was not answerable to the Home Minister but the public. Earlier in the day, Shinde had asked Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung how much time the AAP has sought in taking a decision over government formation. On December 17, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said it would seek a "yes" or "no" from the people following a split verdict that has given no political party enough seats in the 70-member Assembly to take power on its own. Also Read: BJP, Congress pushing Delhi to back AAP govt? Kejriwal`s comments came amid reports that Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had recommended President`s Rule in Delhi after the BJP, which with 31 seats is the single largest group in the house, declined to form a government. The AAP, which was then invited to explore the possibility of forming a government, sought time. Kejriwal then wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Rajnath Singh asking if the two parties would support the AAP on 18 key issues. The Congress responded but Kejriwal criticised the BJP for not replying to his letter to Rajnath Singh. BJP leader Harsh Vardhan has, meanwhile, described the AAP`s decision to seek public opinion on government formation in Delhi as a "drama". "AAP is engaging in a drama and misleading people. They are unnecessarily delaying government formation in Delhi. They could have made their stand clear," Harsh Vardhan said at a press conference. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader, who was its chief ministerial aspirant, said the AAP was playing with people`s mandate by again going to the public vis-à-vis government formation.