File photo of Home Minister Rajnath Singh
With speculation of the BJP being invited to form government in Delhi being rife, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said a call would be taken only once a formal proposal is received from the Lieutenant Governor. He however dismissed any attempt to form government by poaching MLAs of other parties.
"If invited we will think about it. BJP does not believe in horse-trading. BJP will never favour a government with horse-trading," he said.
The Home Minister who is currently in Jammu and Kashmir to assess the flood situation there, said that the Delhi Lt Governor is free to call any party for government formation.
The BJP is likely to be invited to form a government in Delhi with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung sending a report to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking permission to call the single largest party to take a shot at power though it is well short of majority in the Assembly.
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The BJP, with 28 legislators, is the single largest party after the Delhi assembly polls in December threw up a fractured verdict. The BJP had won 31 seats but three BJP MLAs, including its chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan, contested and won the national election in May. The party and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal is five legislators short of a majority in the 70-member assembly.
In his report, Mr Jung gave a detailed analysis of the political situation in the city and underlined the need to have an elected government for Delhi which has been under President's rule since February 17 following resignation of the Aam Aadmi Party government.
The Aam Aadmi Party and Congress have come down hard on Mr Jung for his report and accused him of promoting "horse-trading".
Last week the parties had cautioned the Lt Governor not to make any "unconstitutional move" by inviting the BJP to form government. Both parties have been demanding immediate dissolution of the Assembly. They say suspended animation will encourage horse-trading.