Flashback 2014: Delhi's political landscape abuzz with activities

New Delhi, Dec 21: From AAP's government's resignation after 49 turbulent days at the helm to President's Rule to wrangling by parties for fresh polls - Delhi's political landscape was abuzz with activities but in the process development took a backseat.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, after offering number of soaps to his core constituency, stepped down following his failure to get Jan Lokpal Bill approved but his resignation speech on a rainy evening of February 14 was very clear -- he was leaving Delhi for a bigger battle two months later.

The AAP government slashed power and water bills but took a number of controversial decisions like ordering filing of FIR against then Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily and RIL chief Mukesh Ambani for alleged collusion in fixing prices of natural gas from KG basin.

The AAP government was in the eye of a storm on a number of issues like a midnight raid by minister Somnath Bharti to bust an alleged sex and drug racket and then Kejriwal's 'dharna' seeking punishment against policemen who refused to take action in the case.

Kejriwal along with his six cabinet colleagues and scores of supporters spent a night under the open sky outside Rail Bhavan, the venue of their protest, braving the cold winter on January 20. The AAP's gamble of quitting power and capitalising on its populist measures in the Lok Sabha polls did not pay dividends with the party failing to win a single seat in the Lok Sabha polls where BJP made a clean sweep.

The AAP candidates were in second position in all seven constituencies while Congress suffered a crushing defeat. 46-year-old Kejriwal, who had lost against Narendra Modi in Varanasi, admitted that it was a big mistake on his part to quit government in Delhi and promised never to repeat it.

After installation of the NDA government at the Centre, a section of Delhi BJP leaders showed enthusiasm in taking a shot at power in the Delhi as Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had kept the assembly in suspended animation.

The section who were in favour of the party forming the government got backing from a number of central leaders. In September, Jung sent a report to the President seeking permission to invite BJP to form government in Delhi.

PTI