(Image source from: Delhi to get its chief minister?})
Delhi is without a chief minister since February 14, when AAP chief Delhi to get its chief ministerresigned after 49 days at the helm. Since then Delhi is under President's Rule.
Delhi BJP is in the process of wooing six out of eight Congress MLAs into its side. If the BJP succeeds then they can approach Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to form a government in the city-state.
If Delhi BJP can manage to pull over six Congress MLAs and two Independents to their fold then they can stake claim before the LG. At present BJP is short of only four MLAs. However, the final call will be taken by BJP only after the Budget session in Parliament, a source in BJP revealed.
BJP's Delhi chief Satish Upadhyay said the matter of government formation will be considered only when Lt Governor Najeeb Jung calls them. In the last month, BJP has been trying to win over Congress and AAP MLAs. It seems their efforts are finally working.
Meanwhile, the chief spokesperson of Delhi Congress Mukesh Sharma has rubbished BJP's claims that their MLAs are deserting them. Sharma says the Congress MLAs remain united and will not leave the party.
According to reports, state BJP chief Satish Upadhyay is leading a BJP team to meet Union minister Nitin Gadhkari, who is in charge of Delhi affairs. After meeting Gadhkari, the BJP leaders will conclude the deal with Congress defectors. Reports suggest that two cabinet posts and chairmanship of two government committees have been promised to the Congress defectors. Delhi Congress president AK Lovely and Haroon Yusuf, who were former cabinet ministers of Sheila Dikshit, are staying back with the party.
Congress MLAs, who are likely to switch sides, say they do not want to go through another election. Also they have practically little chance of winning if an election takes place in Delhi.
In the general elections, the BJP captured all seven parliamentary seats in Delhi.
Delhi BJP feels it would be easier to pull over Congress MLAs than to bring AAP MLAs on board to form government in the capital. BJP has 32 seats in the Delhi assembly, while the AAP has 28 seats.
(AW: Pratima Tigga)
