AAP to decide government formation Dec 23

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Tuesday said it will take a final decision on government formation Dec 23, after seeking public opinion in the capital until the weekend.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said it would seek a "yes" or "no" from the people following a split verdict that has given no political party enough seats in the 70-member assembly to take power on its own.

"If the people say 'yes', we will form a government," Kejriwal told the media here.

Kejriwal's comments came amid reports that Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung had recommended President's Rule in Delhi after the BJP, which with 31 seats is the single largest group in the house, declined to form a government.

The AAP, which was then invited to explore the possibility of forming a government, sought time.

Kejriwal then wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and BJP president Rajnath Singh asking if the two parties would support the AAP on 18 key issues.

The Congress responded Monday that 16 of the issues were administrative in nature and needed no party's backing.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal criticised the BJP for not replying to his letter to Rajnath Singh.

"Aam Aadmi Party is not a party of a few individuals," he said "From today till Sunday, we will seek people's views (on government formation)."

"We will go by what people want the coming Monday (Dec 23)," he added.