BJP showing 'naked, power-hungry face': Cong on poaching row

New Delhi, Sep 8: Slamming BJP over allegations that it was trying to poach away Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, Congress today claimed the saffron outfit had shown "its absolute, naked, power-hungry face" by engaging in such activities and hoped that Supreme Court will order fresh polls soon in Delhi.

Accusing BJP of doing a "complete somersault and a volte face" on the issue of government formation in Delhi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said given that it does not have the numbers, BJP can come to power either by ensuring abstentions or defections and both must involve inducements.

"It is constitutionally immoral, morally indefensible and illegal," he said, wondering what the reasons might be behind "this great desire (of BJP) to form the government now".

Singhvi said it was "a matter of great astonishment, indeed mystery" as to what had changed in the last eight months, with no change having occurred in the ground realities, to make BJP find it "necessary and desirable to form the government without elections".

"We (Congress) find it extremely disturbing, mysterious and inexplicable," he said. Congress general secretary BK Hariprasad and Singhvi claimed parallels could be drawn between the situation in Delhi and 'Operation Kamala' in Karnataka when a number of Congress legislators had resigned only to become MLAs later on BJP tickets during the chief ministership of BS Yeddyurappa in 2009.

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has come under attack from AAP over the issue of government formation but Singhvi today refrained from making a direct attack on the former saying he is not going to engage in loose talk on a person holding a constitutional post.

Meanwhile, vowing that Congress would fight on the streets against BJP's attempt to form a government in Delhi "by hook or by crook", AICC Communication Department Chairman Ajay Maken said, "It clearly shows that BJP is (trying to) form the government simply by purchasing MLAs.

"We expect that Supreme Court will take cognisance of the matter. We also hope that Supreme Court will order fresh elections in Delhi after the dissolution of the Assembly." The apex court will on September 9 hear an AAP petition regarding the holding of fresh Assembly polls in Delhi.

PTI