Elections Likely for Delhi, BJP Reportedly Agrees That's Best

New Delhi: Delhi seems to be heading for fresh elections with the BJP reportedly making it clear to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung this morning that it will not take a shot at forming a government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah reportedly favour elections in February.

Sources said PM Modi does not want his party to attempt forming government without adequate numbers in the state assembly; the BJP is currently five seats short of a majority. Sources said Mr Jung could recommend as early as this evening, the dissolution of the assembly in Delhi, which has been under President's Rule for the last eight months.

After the party's topmost leaders discussed Delhi late last evening, sources said state leaders Satish Upadhyay and Jagdish Mukhi met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung today in what is being described as an informal meeting.

Mr Jung has just met the Congress and is also expected to meet Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party or AAP today at 6 pm. But Mr Kejriwal has first demanded to know what transpired in Mr Jung's meeting with the BJP this morning.

The AAP chief wrote to Mr Jung today seeking that his meeting be rescheduled for the evening and said, "I am sure you would already have had a discussion with BJP, which is the single largest party. I would be grateful if you could tell us what is their "formal" stand on this issue."

AAP has said it wants fresh elections in the next 35 days. The Congress' Arvinder Singh Lovely also said his party wants "dissolution of the assembly and early elections."

If the Delhi assembly is dissolved, by-elections scheduled for November 25 to three assembly seats vacated by the BJP will be scrapped. But that would have to be done by Wednesday, the last date for filing of nominations for the by-polls.

The Supreme Court last week said it wants a decision by November 11. Delhi has been under President's Rule since February this year, when Mr Kejriwal resigned after 49 days as chief minister.