Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on government formation in Delhi on October 10

Setting a new deadline, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to apprise it on October 10 the outcome of the process undertaken by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on government formation in Delhi. "On the last date of hearing, it was made clear to you (Centre) that either the election be held or a government is formed. The Centre should take a decision, otherwise the alleged horse-trading will continue," the bench remarked.

The decision has come as a breather for the BJP which does not want elections in New Delhi to take place with other poll bound states. It is now almost ceratin that the elections in Delhi will not take place with Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP that is yet take a stand on forming government in Delhi. After Supreme Court's postponed the decision on Delhi poll to October 10, the BJP state unit says it is ready to face the floor test if called by Lieutenant Governor. "If L-G invites us to form the government, we will take a very serious view and will try to form a government," said Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay.

"Kejriwal's statement shows only his desperation. BJP is not going to form the government in the national capital via the back door. Instead AAP is adopting such tactics and meeting with Independent MLAs as they are greedy for power and don't believe in the Indian constitution," he added.

After three BJP MLAs are now elected as members of parliament, the BJP has a strength of 28 in the Delhi assembly. It falls short of five MLAs to prove majority in the House. If the BJP fails in the floor test, the assembly will be dissolved and Delhi will face a fresh poll.

The plan suits the BJP which does not want an election in Delhi along with other states. The Election Commission is expected to announce elections elsewhere shortly. "If the BJP fails to pass the floor test, the blame for taking Delhi into re-election will go to Aam Aadmi Party," said a BJP MLA. The BJP is hoping to encash that opportunity.

Meanwhile, the section in BJP which is not in favour of fresh elections, is trying to gather support by breaking MLAs from AAP or the Congress.

With the party President Amit Shah dropping a hint that there is nothing immoral in seeking support to form the government, those not in favor of re-election see some hope.

The Supreme Court has asked Centre to inform that whether president of India has taken a decision after Delhi LG Najeeb Jung wrote to him on September 4.

A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by justice HL Dattu, said, "What is the possible time by which president would take a decision?

Additional Solicitor General PS Narsimha, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that he is yet to receive the response. The L-G had sought president's permission to call the single largest party — BJP — to form the government.

Earlier, hitting back at AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for his comments that the party would not let BJP form the government in Delhi at any cost, the saffron outfit claimed these remarks reflect his desperation and accused him of not believing in the Constitution. Earlier, Kejriwal said AAP was in contact with Congress, JD(U) and some honest BJP legislators to prevent the saffron party from coming to power in Delhi through illegal means. The escalation of the war of words between the two parties comes a day after AAP released a video of a purported sting operation showing Delhi BJP vice- president Sher Singh Dagar offering Rs 4 crore to an AAP MLA to switch sides.

— With agency inputs