Kejriwal tells Jung to dissolve Delhi assembly

New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal Monday told Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung that the delay in dissolving the fractured assembly in Delhi was encouraging the poaching of legislators.

After meeting Jung, the former chief minister tweeted: "We told him that delay in dissolving (the) assembly was encouraging horse trading."

A day after the BJP again claimed that it was in a position to form a government and also face fresh elections, Kejriwal demanded to know "under what formula could (a) government be formed in Delhi".

Jung had "no answers" to that question, Kejriwal said.

Delhi has been under President's Rule after Kejriwal, heading a Congress-backed minority government, resigned as chief minister Feb 14. The BJP now has 28 legislators after three were elected to the Lok Sabha in May.

In a house with an effective strength of 67, the lone Akali Dal legislator is a BJP ally. There is a JD-U member, an independent and an AAP rebel.

A statement from Jung's office said Kejriwal and 24 of his 26 legislators of the Aam Aadmi Party met Jung and made accusations of horse trading, and sought the dissolution of the assembly.

"The Lt. Governor said he will take into account the full situation, and after due consultations with others send in a detailed report to the president of India," an official statement said.

An AAP spokesman earlier told IANS that Kejriwal met Jung in the company of all his 26 other legislators.

The AAP won 28 seats in the 70-member assembly in the December 2013 polls but one legislator later broke ranks. No party got enough seats to form a government on its own.

Kejriwal, who has been accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to bribe legislators to take power, added that he had "good discussions" with Jung.

"He will now invite (the) BJP for discussions. If BJP claims they can form (a) government, LG will ask them to show numbers," he said.

"We presented all MLAs before the LG and told him they were not going anywhere," Kejriwal said. He also wanted to know why the BJP did not seem to be keen on fresh elections.

An AAP source told IANS: "AAP MLAs will not support any party." The Congress has also said that none of its eight legislators will support the BJP.