Najeeb Jung to invite BJP to form government in Delhi soon

New Delhi, Oct 29: Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung is likely to send an invite in the next couple of days to BJP, the single-largest party in the Delhi Assembly, to form government in the national capital.

Sources said that as President Pranab Mukherjee has given his clearance, an invite would now be sent to the BJP.

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that President Pranab Mukherjee has given his consent to Jung's proposal to invite BJP to form the government in the national capital.

Jung last month had sent a report to the President seeking permission to invite BJP to form government in Delhi.

In the report, Jung gave a detailed analysis of the political situation and underlined the need to have an elected government in the city which is under President's Rule since February 17 following resignation of the Aam Aadmi Party government after being in power for 49 days.

The Election Commission on Saturday had announced bypolls to three Assembly constituencies on November 25 but if the Lt Governor dissolves the Assembly then the bypolls will not take place.

The BJP has been maintaining that it will take a decision on government formation in Delhi after getting an invite from the Lt Governor.

Currently, BJP, along with ally Akali Dal's lone MLA, has 29 legislators and will require the support of five more MLAs to prove majority in the Assembly.

The government led by Arvind Kejriwal had resigned on 14 February after the party's pet project, the Jan Lokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress.

President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17.

The Lt Governor had not favoured dissolution of the Delhi Assembly as recommended by the council of ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the Assembly in suspended animation.

Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have been demanding immediate dissolution of the Assembly to pave way for holding of fresh elections.

PTI