Thursday 11 September 2014

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit backs BJP's bid to form govt in Delhi, Congress ‘shocked’

NEW DELHI: BJP, on Thursday, received backing from an unexpected quarter with former chief minister Sheila Dikshit saying the party should be given an opportunity to form government as it will be good for the people of Delhi, remarks from which the Congress quickly distanced itself.

"In a democracy, elected governments are always good as they represent the people. If BJP has reached such a situation that it can form government, it is good for Delhi," Dikshit, three-time chief minister of Delhi, said in the national capital.


The statement by Dikshit, who recently resigned as governor of Kerala leading to speculation about her return to active politics, has come at a time when AAP and Congress have been accusing BJP of trying to poach MLAs to form the government in Delhi.


The 76-year-old leader, who had led Congress to spectacular victories in assembly polls in Delhi in 1998, 2003 and 2009, said that MLAs, whether they are from Congress, AAP or others, do not want fresh elections.


READ ALSO: Sheila Dikshit quits as Centre names 4 governors


"As far as I could understand, every MLA, whether he is from Congress or AAP or others, doesn't want election. People are saying that the MLAs have just been elected and their membership has not even crossed one year. As far as I can understand and people are telling me, they (MLAs) want the government to be formed."


She also said that it is not clear yet how the government will be formed.




Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sheila Dikshit at a meeting in New Delhi. (File photo)


"It is yet to be seen how the government is formed and what challenges will be there for a minority government. And, can they (BJP) cross this and not ... it is up to them (BJP)," Dikshit said.




Dikshit, under whose leadership Congress had suffered a severe drubbing in the assembly polls in Delhi in December last year, also added, "In the absence of an elected government, people don't know where they should go. And their voice is heard nowhere.

"If people's voice is heard, then it is good. If they (BJP) form government, they will have to prove majority on the floor of the house ... so let the government be formed and then decisions can be taken."


However, Delhi Congress immediately distanced itself from Dikshit's "shocking" statement, saying that it is her personal view and doesn't represent the party's stand.


"We are shocked by Sheila Dikshit's statement on government formation. It is her personal view and Congress has nothing to do with it. Our stand is very clear from day one that Congress will not let BJP in forming the government in the national capital," Delhi Congress's chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said.


Delhi BJP, however, praised Dikshit for her "straightforward" statement on the current political deadlock in the national capital. The Aam Aadmi Party, on the other hand, said that it was not surprised as "there is hardly any difference between BJP and Congress".


Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said that, "She is a very senior leader and ran the government in Delhi for 15 years. She has experience to run government and knows constitutional norms very well.


"I praise her for her straightforward statement. She has given this statement carefully. It is not about whether a government will be formed or not, but how you are behaving in politics."


Reacting strongly to Dikshit's comment, Aam Aadmi Party senior leader Ashutosh Srivastava said, "I am not surprised by Sheila Dikshit's statement because we have been saying for a long time that there is good understanding between the BJP and the Congress... and there is hardly any difference between BJP and Congress."


The AAP leader alleged that Dikshit was giving such statement as she knows that if AAP comes to power, investigation against her in Delhi will be speeded up.


"The other reason behind her statement is that there are three FIRs against Sheila Dikshit. And if Aam Aadmi Party forms government, the investigation will be speed up.


"Then, Sheila Dikshit will have no other option but to go to jail. She is desperate to avoid going to jail and she doesn't want investigation to happen and that's why, Congress and BJP are coming together," Ashutosh said.



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