BJP poaching on MLAs from other parties out of desperation: Manish Tewari

Former Union Minister and Congress Party leader Manish Tewari on Tuesday said that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has become so desperate to form a government in Delhi that they are poaching on MLAs from other political parties in order to get the majority.

According to Tewari, the reason for BJP's desperation is the fear that they will be shunned by the people in case of an election because of their dismal performance at the centre in the last 100 days.

Speaking to ANI, Tewari said, "The fundamental reality is that on the day the election results in Delhi came out the BJP was the single largest party and at that point in time they said that we will not form the government because we don't have the mandate."

"What has changed between then and now, that they have suddenly become so desperate to form a government that they are allegedly poaching on MLAs from other political parties in order to get the majority," he added.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Tewari said, "Is it that the reality has dawned on them that their performance over past 100 days has been so dismal that if they go to the people they will rightly and roundly get the smack of rejection which they deserve for the high prices, for the complete failure of Pakistan policy and various other acts of indiscretion specially keeping the country on the communal edge."

Meanwhile, BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Right from the time when Arvind Kejriwal left the Delhi government the BJP's stand is extremely clear."

Patra said that the BJP leadership has time and again reiterated the fact that any decision taken by them would be within the ambit of the constitution.

He also said, "We would never indulge in any kind of wrong doing or horse trading, whatever we do would be for the benefit of the people of Delhi."

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday released a video which showed Delhi BJP vice president Sher Singh Dagar allegedly offering a plum post and money to AAP legislator Dinesh Mohaniya in a bid to help the BJP to take power in Delhi.

Delhi has been under President's rule since Arvind Kejriwal resigned as chief minister on February 14 after being in office for 49 days.

The BJP won 31 seats in the 70-member house but now has 28 legislators after three were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections held in April-May. The AAP also has 28 MLAs representing it.