NEW DELHI: The state BJP leaders have officially indicated on Wednesday that they are willing to form the government but only after they get the go ahead from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In view of the development, AAP leader and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched a scathing attack on the BJP that it had bought over the Congress leaders by giving `20 crore to each of them.
BJP state president Satish Upadhyay called a meeting of all the party MLAs at the state BJP headquarters to discuss the issue of government formation in Delhi. After the meeting, Upadhyay said, “We will consider formation of government provided Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung invites us.”
Upadhyay interacted with all the elected 28 MLAs to know their views and to evolve a consensus on the choice of party’s CM candidate. However, a consensus eluded the meeting. Despite this, senior leader Jagdish Mukhi’s name came up as a possible candidate for the top job.
The state BJP leaders are planning to meet former state in-charge Nitin Gadkari, who will be briefed on the meeting’s outcome, sources said.
Party sources also said that the state leaders are eagerly waiting for Modi to return from Brazil as he favours fresh polls instead of forming the government. They added that party president and Modi confidant, Amit Shah is also not in favour of forming the government in Delhi by indulging horse-trading.
Kejriwal, on his part, launched a scathing attack on the ruling party at the Centre alleging that it was trying to lure the Congress MLAs by offering ` six crore to each of them in lieu of support to form the government.
“After failing to buy any AAP MLA, the BJP is now trying to buy six cong MLAs. The price-- `20 crore each, two ministers and four chairmen,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Amid these, the Congress has started a veiled attack on the AAP and their disgruntled leaders planning to support the BJP.
Several posters stating Kejriwal had gone missing appeared on Wednesday in the New Delhi Assembly constituency. The posters terming three Congress MLAs, reportedly supporting the BJP move to form the government, RSS agents were also spotted in other parts of the city.
Many in the New Delhi constituency were taken up by surprise to see the posters declaring that the area MLA, Kejriwal, had gone missing. The posters, reportedly pasted by the Resident Welfare Associations of Gole Market and Kali Badi declared that anyone who could track him down would be suitably rewarded.