Central government’s patience with AAP: Is BJP right about their ‘˜secret understanding’?

Just a day after the Bhartiya Janata Party accused Aam Aadmi Party of entering into a “secret understanding” with Congress, the central government was found cosying up with AAP on the matter of government formation in Delhi on Thursday.

Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters that the central government has decided to give the party as much time it needed to explore the possibility of forming the government in Delhi. The central government has even asked Lt Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, as to how much time AAP has asked for the same.

“We will give some more days (to AAP) for government formation in Delhi. This is a democratic process,” he said.

The statement was made after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal sought referendum on government formation under coalition with Congress on Wednesday demanding a time till Monday. Shinde’s statement was a clear indication that the Central government was ready to wait despite Lt Governor already recommending that Delhi be put under President’s rule.

Imposition of central rule was one of the options listed by Jung in his report submitted to the President after his consultations with BJP, the single largest party, followed by AAP.

The accusation made by Dr Harsh Vardhan, on BJP’s behalf, seems to be holding true in this scenario.

Terming AAP as a “B team” of Congress, Vardhan had claimed that both these parties had entered into an “unholy alliance” before the election to keep away BJP from power.

“The alliance between Congress and AAP is already there. They are enacting a drama of seeking people’s support on the issue of government formation.

Everything has been decided already,” he had said, indicating that AAP would form the government with support from Congress.

With AAP holding a referendum on government formation prospects with Congress party only, it was clear on Wednesday itself that Kejriwa had his pick and that BJP was nowhere near even consideration point.

The recent rift between Anna and Kejriwal has already damaged latter’s credibility. The delaying tactics which they adopted unnecessarily exceeding the government formation process in Delhi has also put them in dock.

With AAP choosing Congress over BJP, who received a clear mandate in Delhi and emerged as single largest party in the elections, it was almost certain that AAP was merely trying to receive a popular decision on its choice so that it won’t be blamed later for forming government with a party which it was vehemently denying to be associated with.

Whether AAP is a coterie of Congress will be clear only after a coalition is formed between them for government formation in Delhi. And it is upto people of Delhi now to decide.