AAP has allied with 'most corrupt' Congress, can't support it: BJP's Harshvardhan

Taking part in a debate in the Delhi State Assembly ahead of a confidence vote that is being sought by the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government here, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Harshvardhan on Thursday ruled out the possibility of extending support to the former, as it has decided to ally itself with a "most corrupt" Congress Party.

Using the floor of the State Assembly to vent his political spleen, Harshvardhan launched an aggressive offensive against both the AAP and the Congress, saying that neither could claim the moral high ground on the issue of promising good governance to the people of Delhi, as their alliance was bereft of both honesty and credibility.

"Before elections,Arvind Kejriwal said vote for the most honest party, and the people of Delhi gave the most seats to the BJP and its allies i.e. 32. The BJP was instrumental in exposing the corruption of the Congress,"said Harshvardhan.

"Kejriwal has joined hands with those whom he earlier promised to send behind bars. You (AAP) can ally with most corrupt party, but, you will protest if we look for allies for Modiji's government at the centre in the future," he added.

The BJP leader maintained that the AAP had only formed the government on the advice of some vested interests, suggesting and lending credence to the view expressed by former BJP president Nitin Gadkari that AAP and the Congress had struck some sort of a deal to form the government in Delhi well before Kejriwal had met the Lt. Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, to stake a claim to form the government.

Harshvardhan also cautioned the AAP leadership not to indulge too much in populist measures like riding a metro to the state assembly, or going overboard in terms of administrative measures so that it becomes absolutely unmanageable.

"Traveling in the metro is nothing special. I also do, and I am sure, many other MLAs do so as well," Harshvardhan remarked while commenting on the AAP leadership's decision to take the metro to the venue of the oath-taking ceremony-the Ram Lila Ground-on December 28, and or refusing to take government vehicles to the state assembly etc.

There was also an uproar in Delhi State Assembly, when Harshvardhan and other BJP leaders questioned the AAP's poisition on Kashmir vis-a-vis Pakistan

Reacting to Kejriwal's objectionable speech at a rally in Ghaziabad on February 26, 2012 with regard to Kashmir, and also on the AAP's stand of calling the Batla House encounter a fake incident to garner votes, Harshvardhan said: "You go and meet terrorists and their sympathizers. Kejriwal should apologize for the Kashmir remark and for the Batla stand."

He also said that the AAP Government's decision to provide 20 kiloliters of free water to households in Delhi having water meters, could result in administrative mayhem, as people, "to ensure minimum water consumption, would use the toilets in the homes of their friends."

The AAP, which emerged as the second largest party in the election with 28 MLAs, requires the support of eight more MLAs to cross the half way mark of the 70-Member Delhi Assembly. The vote of confidence will take place at 5 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Congress has reportedly declared that it will continue to lend outside support to the AAP Government.

Delhi Pradesh Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely had earlier said that his party stands by its earlier decision of extending outside support to the Aam Aadmi Party.

On the other hand, the lone MLA of JDU has already announced extending support to the AAP Government.

In the newly elected assembly, BJP with its ally Akali Dal has 32 MLA's, the Congress eight and one independent member.

The Delhi Assembly yesterday completed the formality of oath taking by members, including the Chief Minister and other ministers, with senior Congress member Mateen Ahmed functioning as pro-tem Speaker.