Amid dissenting voices, BJP attacks AAP

Leaders within the party said the decision to not form a government should have been taken after consultations within the party

Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s decision to form a government in Delhi with the support of the Congress, voices of dissent rose within the BJP against the party leadership’s decision to not try to form a government in the national capital.

On Monday, Harsh Vardhan, the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate, said the AAP had “betrayed” the faith of the people by aligning with the Congress. “The AAP had made promises and vowed to fight corruption. Today, it entered into an alliance with corruption and compromised with its principles,” he said.

Leaders within the BJP said by allowing the AAP to form a government, the BJP was being seen as the party that lost the Delhi elections, when it had actually won the largest number of seats.

“The Aam Aadmi Party took the decision after consultations within the party and with the people. How fair their process was is open to question, but at least the party should have consulted us,” said a BJP spokesperson.

Early this month, Harsh Vardhan had told Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung his party wasn’t in a position to form a government, as it was short of four members of legislative Assembly.

It is believed this decision was taken by the party’s senior leadership, as it was wary of sending any wrong signal ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. It felt if the party were to form a government by seeking support from Congress or AAP MLAs, the BJP would be seen as pursuing “negative” politics. Also, the party hoped by allowing Kejriwal to become chief minister, it would be able to arrest the rise of AAP in other regions of the country.

Leaders in the BJP said they were certain the AAP government wouldn’t last long. However, they added if Kejriwal took certain populist decisions, his popularity would rise.

It is expected in the coming days, the BJP will up its ante against Kejriwal. It will attack him as a leader who doesn’t live up to his promises, particularly when it comes to not seeking support from either the Congress or the BJP.