(Ashutosh joined the Aam Aadmi Party in January. The former journalist took on former Union minister Kapil Sibal and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in the national election from Chandni Chowk in Delhi.)It's a curious case of the BJP in Delhi apparently teaming up with the Lieutenant Governor. In the national election in May, the BJP won all seven seats in Delhi. AAP won none.
So why is the BJP running away from elections? It swept the national election with a leader who has unmatched mass appeal, according to his party. But in Delhi, it doesn't want a state election. It wants to form a government by "chor ka darwaaza" (the backdoor).
On December 12, 2013, the BJP wrote to the Lieutenant Governor that it will not form the government as it does not have the numbers (it had 32 MLAs; 36 are needed to form the Delhi government). The party said it didn't have the moral right to form the government, so it would serve as the opposition.
Even when Arvind Kejriwal resigned on February 14, 2014, the BJP's Harsh Vardhan reiterated that the party would not try to form the government and is ready for elections. But now, the BJP says that if it is invited to prove its majority, it will decide whether to take its shot.
It's also odd that the new union government, which has shown the door to many governors appointed by the UPA, has allowed Najeeb Jung to remain the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
If it is true that the Lieutenant Governor has written to President Pranab Mukherjee, recommending that the BJP be allowed to prove its strength in the Delhi Assembly, the move is unconstitutional for two reasons.
Firstly, if it doesn't win a majority in the election, the single-largest party has to furnish a letter proving that it has the support of enough law-makers from its own ranks and from other parties to form the government.
Secondly, the BJP has not yet withdrawn its December letter to the Lieutenant Governor which said it would not attempt to form the government. So how can it be invited to do so?
In its 100 days in office, the Modi government has failed to deliver essentials. People don't find any difference between this government and Dr Manmohan Singh's. Rising prices, corruption, remain unchecked. Communalism appears to be growing. Surveys are promising the return of AAP in Delhi and the BJP seems to be nervous. If it is sure of its appeal, let it accept the challenge of proving that with voters.
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