AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi politics heated up some more this morning with Aam Aadmi Party chief
Arvind Kejriwal speculating in a series of aggressive tweets on whether Delhi's Lieutenant Governor would invite the BJP to form government today. (
BJP Attempts To Form Next Government in Delhi: Sources) Mr Kejriwal also tweeted, "I hv sought an appointment from LG for all AAP MLAs to meet him today. Waiting for his response."
AAP sources say the Lieutenant Governor has not agreed to meet them yet.
The BJP's Delhi chief Satish Upadhyay shot back, "If the LG doesn't call the BJP today will Arvind Kejriwal apologize to the citizens of Delhi for his tweet?" He mocked the AAP chief saying, "One more white lie, what can I say to it. Kejriwal's dream of going from Tilak Lane to 7 RCR was thwarted."
The BJP is reportedly waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to return from his foreign tour to decide whether it will stake claim to form government in Delhi, which has been under President's Rule for the last six months. (
BJP Attempts To Form Next Government in Delhi: Sources) Mr Modi has left Brazil and will be in Delhi late tonight.
"We are ready for any eventuality, it is up to the Lieutenant Governor to take a call now," said senior leader Jagdish Mukhi, who, sources said, is likely to be Chief Minister if the BJP does form government in the capital. Many in the Delhi unit of the party reportedly want to avoid fresh elections.
Mr Kejriwal has argued that the BJP must not be invited to form government as it had earlier refused to do so.
In elections held last December the BJP had won 31 seats and its ally, the Akali Dal, had won one. At 32, they were four short of the majority mark at 36, but had refused to stake claim saying they could not make up the numbers.(
'Pehle AAP', says BJP after falling short of majority in Delhi)Changes in the make up of the Assembly since then have meant that the BJP now needs the support of five MLAs to form government. This time, sources say, an expelled AAP MLA and two independent members have pledged their support to the BJP, and now the party needs only two more.
Mr Kejriwal has alleged that the BJP is trying to "buy" that support from members of his party - he has 27 MLAs - for large sums of money, but has as yet not accepted a dismissive BJP's challenge to furnish proof.
There are reports that a section of the Congress' eight MLAs are in talks to break away and support the BJP.