New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party legislature party leader Arvind Kejriwal today called on Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and told him that he has written letters to both the Congress and BJP presidents seeking their stand on 18 issues, before deciding on forming government.
Giving a new twist to government formation in Delhi, Kejriwal set 18 conditions for Congress and BJP before it can decide on forming a government, a move seen as attempts to fob off criticism that it was running away from taking responsibility.
Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, whom AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal met, has said he will send a report to the President, an indication that he would tell the Centre that government formation will not be possible now.
Kejriwal gave to Jung the copies of the letters he had written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and BJP President Rajnath Singh seeking their views on a list of 18 issues that included ending VIP culture in the capital, audit of electricity companies and removal of MLA local funds scheme.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Kejriwal said, he had not sought any time from the Lt Governor for government formation.
He claimed the LG told him he can come back when he has the majority.
However, a press release issued by the LG said, "Leader of AAP Legislative Party Arvind Kejriwal met Lt Governor. Referring to the letter of support received from Congress, Kejriwal said he would be in a position to form a government only after ascertaining the views of people of Delhi. The honourable LG will be submitting a factual report to the honourable President of India".
While the single largest party BJP with 31 MLAs had declined to from the government, the second big party AAP with 28 seats has been saying that it would not take from or give support to Congress and BJP in government formation.
Minutes before Kejriwal left for Raj Nivas, the lone Janata Dal (United) MLA Shoaib Iqbal said, he has sent a letter to Lt Governor offering unconditional support to AAP government.
Iqbal said, the mandate this time was for Aam Aadmi Party and he has decided to give unconditional support.
Delhi Congress President Jaiprakash Agarwal had said on Friday that his party has already sent a letter to the Lt Governor offering "unconditional" support of all 8 Congress MLAs to the AAP government.
Here are the live updates on activities relating to Delhi government formation:
