Govt justifies keeping Delhi House under suspended animation

Government today justified its decision to keep the Delhi Assembly under suspended animation saying all options are open as more than four years and ten months of Assembly still remain after AAP government's fall.

Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said this in the Rajya Sabha as he laid the supplementary demand for grants, 2013-14 and Vote on Account for 2014-15 for Delhi. BJP, however, launched a blistering attack on Congress for not dissolving the Assembly even after bringing the state under President Rule and for supporting Arvind Kejriwal to form a government.

Citing the famous judgement of S R Bommai case, Singh said the Delhi Assembly was not dissolved as demanded by Arvind Kejriwal's party as the government fell after 60 days and options for formation of any alternative government are open.

Noting that the government formed by Kejriwal fell after just 60 days, Singh wondered should fresh elections be ordered after just 60 days after poll in any state. "All options are open for this. You have have also formed governments in past. Minority governments have been formed in the country many times. You have also formed," the minister said adding that the government does not want unnecessary burden of fresh elections on people in such a short time.

BJP leader M Venakaiah Naidu, however, apprehended that such a scenario could encourage horse trading. He wondered that when the BJP has already refused to form a government and AAP has stepped down, how could a government be formed even when Congress has only eight MLAs.