M A I N   N E W S

Lt Governor recommends President’s Rule in Delhi
Cabinet to decide whether to wait for Kejriwal’s response on govt formation
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 16
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung today recommended imposition of President’s Rule in the city-state as neither the BJP nor the Aam Aadmi Party had come forward to form the government ever since the declaration of poll result on December 8.

The government received the Lt Governor’s report this evening. It now has to decide whether to send the recommendation for the President’s Rule to the Cabinet for a final decision or wait for 10 days — the time sought by AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal from the Lt Governor to decide on government formation.

Kejriwal had asked for time after writing to the BJP and the Congress on 18 issues. The Congress today replied to his letter, agreeing to all his demands and increasing the moral pressure on him to form the government.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde told reporters today that the Lt Governor had given a few options. “We are examining the report legally,” he said.

Sources said the MHA could recommend the Central rule to the Cabinet with the Delhi Assembly being kept in suspended animation. “This will have a clause that whenever a party or a group can cobble together coalition, it can stake claim (to form government),” sources said. Alternatively, the government could wait till December 25 when Kejriwal’s 10-day deadline would expire, they added.

The Lt Governor has communicated to the government that no party is in a position to form the government and there’s no clarity. The Central rule with the Assembly being kept in suspended animation is one of the options Jang has listed after meeting BJP and AAP leaders. MHA sources said the Cabinet meeting to take a call on the issue could be convened at a notice of just two hours. President Pranab Mukerjee had notified the constitution of the New Delhi Assembly on December 10 itself.

“If no party comes forward to form the government, the President’s Rule can be imposed in the next two days,” sources added.

Meanwhile, the Congress today pushed AAP to a corner by agreeing to all 18 demands of Kejriwal, but clarifying that they had offered him outside support and not unconditional support.

“We have clarified that we talked about offering outside support to AAP. Our letter of support for AAP does not mention the word unconditional support,” AICC general secretary for Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said.