Union cabinet to meet on Delhi government dissolution

Delhi's  Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has sent his report suggesting dissolution of the assembly to President Pranab Mukherjee  after he met leaders of all major political players- the BJP, AAP and Congress.

 

Earlier reports said a formal announcement regarding the dissolution of Assembly may be taken soon by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

 

An NDTV report said Delhi could vote for its next government in February. 

Reports said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly told Jung that the party is not inclined to make a minority government. It has been learnt that state leaders Satish Upadhyay and Jagdish Mukhi met Lieutenant Governor Monday morning and reportedly told him that BJP will not take a shot at forming a government. 

 

Media reported that the decision of not claiming to form government was taken on Sunday night after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah—both opined that an attempt to form government without adequate numbers may lead to disaster.

 Jung also met Congress leader Haroon Yusuf and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Monday. 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”.

Earlier, Kejriwal-led AAP had approached the top court seeking fresh elections in Delhi, which has been under President’s rule for the last more than eight months following the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal and his entire cabinet.

Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung wanted to invite political parties to explore possibility of government formation in Delhi after he was rapped by the Supreme Court's over delay in taking a decision on the issue.

During an earlier hearing the Supreme Court had criticized the Lt. Governor and the Centre for the stalemate in Delhi Assembly. The Supreme Court last week said it wants a decision by Nov  11.