Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar
New Delhi: A day after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP of trying to "buy MLAs", reports indicated, Wednesday, that the saffron party is looking to form the government in Delhi.
BJP MLAs held a meeting at party`s Delhi office today morning amid reports that independents and the lone JD(U) MLA may be willing to support the government. While sources did confirm that the BJP is open to the idea of forming the government but they remained tight-lipped on the possibilities being explored to get adequate numbers to stake claim.
The party had won 31 seats in the Delhi Assembly polls of December last year but its number has come down to 28 in the 70-member house after three of its MLAs -- Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma -- were elected to Lok Sabha in the recent general elections. The party has the support of the lone Shiromani Akali Dal MLA.
Newly appointed Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay on forming the government in Delhi said that the party is ready to take the plunge, nearly six months after refusing citing lack of majority, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, reports are also doing the rounds that the BJP is considering its Janakpuri MLA Jagdish Mukhi`s name for the post of Delhi`s chief minister.
However, Mukhi, denied such reports and said, “I think there is a misunderstanding.”
Delhi has been under President`s rule since February when AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal quit as chief minister over the stalling of the Jan Lokpal bill in the Assembly. The Assembly has been under suspended animation ever since and no party has staked claim to form the government.
Kejriwal had yesterday accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to get the numbers required to form the government.
"BJP is resorting to dishonest and highly unethical methods of trying to form the government by offering Rs 20 crore each to many MLAs. Is this democracy? It is completely wrong,” he said.
"If the BJP forms the government using such illegitimate methods and by spending hundreds of crores, then such a dishonest government will only increase your electricity bills, indulge in corruption and price rise.
"Would a government formed through dishonest means like horse-trading be able to provide safety for women?" Kejriwal said in a recorded message which is expected to be used by AAP to reach out to people by way of phone calls.
In the message, Kejriwal also takes a dig at the Prime Minister. "Why is Mr Narendra Modi silent? It is too much. The people of Delhi can no longer remain silent."
However, the BJP has rubbished the claims made by the AAP leader and described him as a `frustrated` man.
Senior party leader and MP Ramesh Bidhuri said Kejriwal should get a mental check-up done.
