AAP gets its first warning from Congress; Dikshit says support is not unconditional

New Delhi: Even before a government is set to be formed in Delhi by the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress on Monday mounted pressure on the new party asking Arvind Kejriwal to fulfil his poll manifesto within a definite deadline.

Several senior party leaders of the Congress said now it is up to Kejriwal to translate promises into reality as soon as possible. The common refrain: Let’s see how Kejriwal fulfils his extravagant promises.

External Affairs Minister Salman Kurshid said AAP may have worked in closed doors, but time has come for them to fulfil their poll manifesto.

Even AAP’s senior leader Prasanth Bhushan was sceptical. Speaking to TV channels, he said he was not confident that the new government would last long.

Sheila Dikshit, whose 15-year-old reign was ended by Aam Admi Party in the Assembly polls, on Monday made it clear that Congress support to it was 'not unconditional'. And as an after-thought, she rubbed it in saying “let us see how they (AAP) will fulfil their unrealistic promises.”

Welcoming AAP's decision to form the government, she hoped the new party will be able to fulfil the promises made to people.

"We had said that we will give them outside support. The support is not unconditional. I congratulate them for deciding to form government and hope that they will be able to fulfil the promises they made to people of Delhi," Dikshit told reporters.

The BJP, on the other hand, wondered how the AAP could associate with a party steeped in corruption. “How will the AAP enquire the CWG scam that involves Sheila Dikshit,” a BJP spokesperson asked.

"Aam Aadmi Party has compromised with a party that is known for corruption," said BJP leader Harsh Vardhan referring to the Congress. AAP has betrayed the people of Delhi, he added.

"AAP had been accusing Congress of being the most corrupt party, now they have compromised. This is a gross betrayal by the AAP to the people," he said.

Vardhan, who was BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Assembly polls, said, "Now they are growing to form the government with the same corrupt party by striking a compromise. But we extend our good wishes to that party on the occasion of government formation.

"We pray that they succeed as also the promises which they have made to the public in Delhi ," he said soon after AAP announced its decision to go ahead with government formation in the national capital.

Earlier, AAP decided to form government in the city by taking outside support from the Congress. The party took the decision to form the government at a meeting of political affairs committee after analysing the results of the public referendum it had carried out in the last few days on the issue.

Dikshit said Congress will continue its support to AAP as long it delivers but expressed doubts whether the party will be able to fulfil all its promises like cutting power tariff by 50 per cent and providing 700 litres of free water daily to each household.

"We will support them as long they deliver. We already knew that it is not possible to fulfil the kind of promises they made," the three-time Chief Minister said.

"We are extending outside support. It is not unconditional. We are supporting them only for the policies they are talking about. If they can provide relief to the people of Delhi, it is well and good," she said.

Dikshit was critical of AAP leaders as she accused them of using "uncivilised" language against the Congress even after it announced support to the new party. "Their language is not good. It is uncivilised. We can criticise each other but the language should be civil," she said. Congress General Secretary in-charge of Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said the party was with AAP.

Commentators say the AAP will try to push its agenda and luck as far as possible till the Lok Sabha elections due in May next year. With a wafer thin majority of 36, which includes outside support from the Congress, AAP may find it hard to fulfil many of its promises.

The AAP may try to put the blame on any failure at the doorsteps of the Congress even as Delhi seems to be heading to a bitter political winter ahead.rofre Just minutes after the Aam Aadmi Party decided to form a government in Delhi with the outside support of the Congress, rumblings have begun.

Sheila Dikshit, whose 15-year-old reign was ended by Aam Admi Party in the Assembly polls, on Monday made it clear that Congress support to it was 'not unconditional'. And as an after-thought, she rubbed it in saying “let us see how they (AAP) will fulfil their unrealistic promises.”

Welcoming AAP's decision to form the government, she hoped the new party will be able to fulfil the promises made to people.

"We had said that we will give them outside support. The support is not unconditional. I congratulate them for deciding to form government and hope that they will be able to fulfil the promises they made to people of Delhi," Dikshit told reporters.

The BJP, on the other hand, wondered how the AAP could associate with a party steeped in corruption. “How will the AAP enquire the CWG scam that involves Sheila Dikshit,” a BJP spokesperson asked.

"Aam Aadmi Party has compromised with a party that is known for corruption," said BJP leader Harsh Vardhan referring to the Congress. AAP has betrayed the people of Delhi, he added.

"AAP had been accusing Congress of being the most corrupt party, now they have compromised. This is a gross betrayal by the AAP to the people," he said.

Vardhan, who was BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Assembly polls, said, "Now they are growing to form the government with the same corrupt party by striking a compromise. But we extend our good wishes to that party on the occasion of government formation.

"We pray that they succeed as also the promises which they have made to the public in Delhi ," he said soon after AAP announced its decision to go ahead with government formation in the national capital.

Earlier, AAP decided to form government in the city by taking outside support from the Congress. The party took the decision to form the government at a meeting of political affairs committee after analysing the results of the public referendum it had carried out in the last few days on the issue.

Dikshit said Congress will continue its support to AAP as long it delivers but expressed doubts whether the party will be able to fulfil all its promises like cutting power tariff by 50 per cent and providing 700 litres of free water daily to each household.

"We are extending outside support. It is not unconditional. We are supporting them only for the policies they are talking about. If they can provide relief to the people of Delhi, it is well and good," she said.

The Congress was trounced by the AAP in the December 4 polls as it managed to win only eight seats in the 70-member assembly.

Dikshit was critical of AAP leaders as she accused them of using "uncivilised" language against the Congress even after it announced support to the new party. "Their language is not good. It is uncivilised. We can criticise each other but the language should be civil," she said. Congress General Secretary in-charge of Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said the party was with AAP.

Commentators say the AAP will try to push its agenda and luck as far as possible till the Lok Sabha elections due in May next year. With a wafer thin majority of 36, which includes outside support from the Congress, AAP may find it hard to fulfil many of its promises.

The AAP may try to put the blame on any failure at the doorsteps of the Congress even as Delhi seems to be heading to a bitter political winter ahead.