Uncertainty continues over government formation in Delhi

Uncertainty continued Wednesday over the formation of a new government in the capital, with neither the BJP nor the AAP making any move in this direction.

Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) put the onus on each other for formation of the government.

The stance of the two parties appeared to reinforce the speculation that the national capital was headed for president's rule.

The BJP emerged as the single largest party in the 70-member assembly with 31 seats while AAP got 28. The Congress, after ruling the city for 15 years, ended with eight seats only.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday said his party was ready for fresh elections, and chided the BJP for not forming the government despite being the largest party in the assembly.

The BJP had Tuesday said it was prepared for fresh elections.

Kejriwal, who addressed a public meeting in the capital Wednesday, also said the AAP website would be opened for donations for the next assembly polls in Delhi.

"We are prepared to fight the elections again," Kejriwal said.

He, however, did not speak about the party's plans for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Kejriwal said the BJP and Congress should form the government as they had the numbers to notch up a majority in the Delhi assembly.

"The BJP and Congress are two sides of the same coin. They have got seats and should jointly form a government," he said.

He said if the BJP fails to form the government despite having 31 seats, people should regard the party as a failure and not support it any further.

He said members who feel suffocated in the Congress and the BJP can join the AAP.

Meanwhile, Harsh Vardhan, leader of the BJP legislature party, said it was up to the AAP and the Congress to cobble together an alliance to form the government.

"I won't comment on Congress considering support to AAP. If they want to form a government in Delhi, they can very well do that," Harsh Vardhan told IANS.

Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed had Tuesday told the media that the party was mulling giving unconditional support to AAP from outside.

Harsh Vardhan said the BJP would not try to form the government in an "unethical" manner.

"The situation is the same as it was 24 hours ago. We will not take the initiative to form the government and not indulge in any sort of horse trading," the BJP leader said.