NEW DELHI: The process of government formation here is getting murkier with the BJP, Congress and AAP making allegations of horse-trading.
A day after AAP leader and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Congress launched a scathing attack against the saffron party for allegedly indulging in horse-trading, senior BJP leaders on Thursday refuted the charges.
They said the party had never indulged in such activities and sent a defamation notice against Kejriwal.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said his party didn’t indulge in any malpractice.
“We have never indulged in horse-trading. I can confidently say the BJP won’t indulge in such practices,” he said. Asked if some Congress MLAs were supporting the BJP to form the government, Rajnath fainted ignorance.
Former state in-charge and Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the party had not taken any decision on the government formation in the national capital.
The BJP hardened its stand against Kejriwal and party MLA from Rajender Nagar, R P Singh, served a legal notice on Kejriwal for defaming the party and its leaders.
Singh said Kejriwal had on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was trying to buy support of MLAs by paying `20 crore each to form the government here.
He also tweeted that the saffron party was trying to buy support of six Congress MLAs.
In his notice, the BJP leader said the allegations were without any basis and aimed at tarnishing the saffron party’s image. He has called upon Kejriwal to desist from making such false allegations and demanded `1 crore as compensation.
Kejriwal, on the other hand, took on Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung and asked whether he would encourage horse-trading by inviting a party that doesn’t have required number to form the government. The AAP chief also sought more time to meet Jung.
“Despite public outcry, LG is likely to invite BJP to form government today. BJP will accept it. BJP still does not have numbers and six cong MLAs not yet ready. BJP’s assessment is that after taking oath, it would become easier to buy MLAs,” Kejriwal tweeted on Thursday.