In a fix, Arvind Kejriwal looks to ‘Aam Aadmi’ for answer

Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar

New Delhi: Although Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has recommended President’s Rule, the political deadlock in Delhi may end as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears tilting towards the possibility of forming a government with Congress’ support. The decision on the matter will be taken at a meeting of the party’s political affairs committee on Tuesday. The party has been under pressure to ‘respect’ the verdict and make efforts to form a government and deliver on the promises it made to Delhiites. Initially, AAP appeared unwilling to the risk for forming a government with outside support before coming around to consider it as a possibility. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal set the ball rolling when he shot off identical letters to Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Rajnath Singh, Saturday. and sought assurances that both parties will back the 18 points if the AAP were to form a government and end the capital`s political stalemate. The Congress, which has offered unconditional support to AAP, responded to the 18-point letter saying that 16 of the 18 points AAP has raised in a bid to form a government in Delhi needed no legislative backing. The Congress letter said the other two issues - support for a Jan Lokpal bill and full statehood for Delhi - were outside the purview of the Delhi government. Importantly, the Congress pointed out that it had offered outside legislative support to the AAP and not "unconditional" support as claimed by Kejriwal. On the other hand, the BJP has not yet responded to Kejriwal’s letter. Earlier, BJP leaders had said they will extend "constructive support" to the AAP. Worried about the Aam Admi’s view on the move to form government as AAP had earlier declared that it will neither take or give support to neither the BJP nor the Congress, the party is planning to hold public meetings in all constituencies to access the mood of the public before it takes a decision in favour of forming a government in Delhi. AAP would hold four public meetings will be held in every constituency of Delhi. The final decision will be taken after holding a total of 280 public meetings. The party hopes to complete the exercise in a week. AAP finished second in the race for control of Delhi with 28 seats, just behind BJP with 31 seats of its own in the 70-member assembly.