After twin wins in Maharashtra and Haryana, Delhi BJP ready for fresh polls

New Delhi: Buoyed by party's victory in Maharashtra and Haryana, Delhi BJP on Sunday said it will push for fresh election in the national capital, banking on the 'Modi wave' to wrest power, and may turn down any offer by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to take a shot at government formation.

General Secretary of Delhi BJP and South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri said the result of the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana have "proved" that support for BJP was not waning and the party will come out with clear mandate if Delhi goes to polls again.

"We are ready for fresh election as soon as possible. We will push for early polls. The Modi wave continues to sweep the country and BJP will come to power with thumping majority if elections are held in Delhi again," Bidhuri told PTI.

Asserting that party has strengthened its support base significantly since the assembly polls in December last year, Bidhuri said majority of party workers in the city are fully prepared to face the election again.

Asked what will be BJP's position if Lt Governor Najeeb Jung invites it to form government, he said the party will not take the reins of power by adopting any unfair means.

"We will turn down any offer for government formation and will push for early polls. If the party can get a clear majority in neighbouring Haryana then why should we not go for polls here? BJP will not form a government in Delhi by resorting to any unfair means," he said.

The Lt Governor last month had sent a report to President Pranab Mukherjee seeking permission to invite the BJP to form a government in Delhi.

In the report, Jung gave a detailed analysis of the political situation and underlined the need to have an elected government in the city which is under President's rule since February 17 following resignation of the Aam Aadmi Party Government which was in power for 49 days.

The Centre is likely to respond to the Lt Governor's letter after Diwali.

The BJP has been maintaining that it will take a decision on government formation in Delhi after getting an invite from the Lt Governor.

Sources in BJP said a number of central leaders as well as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were not in favour of forming a government by "managing the numbers" and indicated to the state leadership to get ready for elections.

In his report to Mukherjee, the Lt Governor said though no party has staked claim to form government in Delhi, BJP could be invited to take the reins as it is the single largest party in the assembly.

Jung observed that all options for putting in place an elected government should be explored before contemplating holding of fresh polls.

Currently BJP, along with ally Akali Dal's lone MLA, has 29 legislators and will require the support of five more MLAs to prove majority in the assembly.

The party had emerged the single largest party after the assembly polls in December last year with 32 seats including ally Akali Dal's one MLA in the 70-member House.

BJP fell four seats short of a simple majority and had refused to form government saying it did not have the numbers and will not resort to any "unfair means" to take the reins.

AAP with 28 MLAs had later formed the government with support of eight Congress MLAs.

BJP's number came down to 28 in the House in May after three of its legislators Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma were elected to Lok Sabha.

With the resignation?of three MLAs, the strength of the assembly also went down to 67.

The government led by Arvind Kejriwal had resigned on 14 February after the party?s pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress.

President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17.

The Lt Governor had not favoured dissolution of the Delhi assembly as recommended by the council of ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the assembly in suspended animation.

The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have been demanding immediate dissolution of the assembly to pave way for holding of fresh election.