Political deadlock continues in Delhi, President's Rule likely

File photo: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung

New Delhi: The possibility of President's Rule looms large in Delhi as the political deadlock continues over the formation of government in the national capital even nine days after the elections that threw up a hung verdict.

On Saturday, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung sent a detailed report to President Pranab Mukherjee about the current political situation and mentioned that government-formation in Delhi was not possible now.

The tenure of the current assembly will end on December 18 and President's Rule has to be imposed after that if a government is not put in place by then, top officials said.

They said Mr Jung was now waiting for a directive from the Centre.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had, on Saturday, put the onus on the Congress and the BJP for taking its support to form a government by putting forth 18 conditions and wanting to know their views on them, a move seen as an attempt to rebut criticism that it was shying away from taking responsibility.

The BJP, along with its ally Akali Dal's one seat, has 32 MLAs in the 70-member House while the AAP has 28 seats followed by the Congress' eight. The JD(U) won one seat while the Mundka seat went to an Independent.

The BJP had declined to form government citing lack of majority following which Mr Jung had invited AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal to discuss government formation.

In a surprise move, the Congress had on Friday submitted a letter to the Lieutenant Governor extending "unconditional support" to AAP to form government.

Meanwhile, the BJP on Sunday attacked the AAP saying the party was not interested in forming the government as it will not be able to fulfil the promises made in its manifesto.

The AAP had promised to cut power tariff by 50 per cent and supply 700 litres of water free to each household daily.

"AAP is scared of being exposed. There are apparent contradictions in its stand as, on one hand, AAP leaders are criticising other political parties and then it is writing letters to them about support in forming the government," Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel said.

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