LG suggests President's rule in Delhi, House under suspended animation; Kejriwal slams him

New Delhi: Rejecting the outgoing government's recommendation for dissolution of the Delhi Assembly, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is on Saturday understood to have suggested imposition of President's rule by keeping the legislature under suspended animation.

In a report to the Centre, Jung did not favour dissolution of the 70-member Delhi Assembly as recommended by the council of ministers headed by Arvind Kejriwal when it met last night and decided to quit.

The LG's move keeps the option open for any political party or a combination of parties to try and form a government in future.

Sources said Jung has conveyed to the Centre that the national capital be brought under a spell of President's rule as no party is now in a position to form an alternative government.

The final call on the LG's recommendation will be taken by the Centre, the sources said.

Home Ministry officials said they would take the opinion of the Law Ministry and place all the facts before the Union Cabinet for the final decision.

The Assembly elections late last year had given a split verdict with no political party getting absolute majority. The Aam Aadmi Party led by Kejriwal formed the government in December with Congress support.

The AAP government resigned on Friday after it suffered a defeat on the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly and recommended for fresh election by dissolving the House.

The LG has also sent, along with his report, the resignation letter of Arvind Kejriwal. The letter would be forwarded to the President for its acceptance.

Officials said Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who is away in Maharashtra, has been briefed about the LG's report.

Kejriwal slams Lt Gov for not dissolving House

Lashing out at Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for not recommending dissolution of the House as per the Cabinet's decision, Arvind Kejriwal said that he was 'openly flouting' the decisions taken by a majority government.

"I am questioning the logic of his decision (of not recommending dissolution of the House)," Kejriwal said, adding that the constitution says that he is bound by the decision taken by the Cabinet of a majority government.

"He did not agree to many of our decisions. Our Cabinet took a decision of having this session outside the House. Even he did not agree to that. He was openly flouting the constitution and I don't know why," he told news channels.

In his resignation letter on Friday, Kejriwal had recommended Jung to dissolve the House and conduct fresh elections.

In his letter to President on Saturday, sources said the Lt Governor has sent a 'factual report' on the situation in the national capital and has not mentioned whether national capital should be put under a spell of central rule or dissolve the House for holding elections along with Lok Sabha polls.

"Aam aadmi Party (AAP) also wants this and even the BJP has favoured re-election today. I dont know on what basis Najeeb Jung has taken this decision. "This decision is completely wrong because any recommendation by an elected government is normally binding (on the Lt Governor)," Kejriwal said.

He claimed that the decision to recommend dissolution of the House was of a majority government. "Ours was not a minority government. Before resignation, we had got passed a Money bill in the assembly. This means ours was a majority government."

"If a majority government recommends something then it is mandatory for the Governor to accept the recommendations," he added.

He alleged that the decision was taken because the Congress did not want fresh elections. However, when asked whether the Lt Governor was acting at the behest of the Congress, he denied it.

Next: LG sends report to President on political situation in Delhi

LG sends report to President on political situation in Delhi

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on Saturday sent a report to President Pranab Mukherjee on the political situation in Delhi in the wake of resignation of the Aam Aadmi Party Government.

Jung has also forwarded the resignation of AAP government to the President along with the report. Sources said the Lt Governor has sent a 'factual report' on the situation in the national capital and has not mentioned whether national capital should be put under a spell of central rule or dissolve the House for holding elections along with Lok Sabha polls.

The AAP government on Friday had recommended to the Lt Governor to dissolve the assembly and hold fresh elections.

Kerjriwal on Friday resigned as Delhi Chief Minister shortly after his government was defeated on the issue of tabling of the Janlokpal Bill in Delhi Assembly in the face of a united resistance by outside supporter Congress and opposition BJP.

Jung had advised the Assembly against transacting the Jan Lokpal Bill which he said should have prior clearance of central government.