Union Cabinet gives nod to President’s Rule in Delhi
Sunday, 16/02/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140216/main1.htm
New Delhi: A day after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues tendered their resignations, the Union Cabinet tonight recommended imposition of the President’s Rule in Delhi with the state Assembly kept in suspended animation.
The Cabinet recommendation has been forwarded to President Pranab Mukherjee for approval. A formal notification in this regard is expected tomorrow.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung rejected the recommendation of outgoing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to dissolve the Assembly. His decision to put the House in suspended animation means any party or a group can stake a claim to form the government in Delhi at a later date, if it is able to muster the requisite numbers. The Assembly can be kept in suspended animation for six months.
The LG forwarded Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues’ resignations to the President, along with his report. The BJP, the single largest party in the Delhi Assembly, today again refused to stake a claim to form the government. “Our stand is the same as it was in December,” said BJP’s Harsh Vardhan.
Addressing a press conference, he called Kejriwal an “expert” at telling lies and accused him of playing to a Congress’ script. “AAP was propped up by the Congress… I am saying this because all the committees formed by AAP have people who have had connection with the Congress in the past,” he alleged.
He also accused AAP of getting funds from foreign organisations. Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said the party was ready to extended support to the AAP government for the Jan Lokpal Bill, provided it was brought in a constitutional manner.
Lt Guv’s recommendations
Lieutenant Governor Najeeb JungLieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung (pic) recommended the imposition of President’s Rule in Delhi observing that no party was in a position to form the government
He rejected the recommendation of outgoing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to dissolve the Assembly
He said the Assembly be kept in suspended animation so that if any group was able to muster the requisite numbers, it could stake a claim to form the government
He forwarded Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues’ resignations to the President, along with his report on the current political situation in Delhi
Jung’s decision wrong: Kejriwal
This decision (of not recommending dissolution of the House) is completely wrong because any recommendation by an elected government is normally binding (on the Lt Governor)… Even the BJP has favoured re-election. I don’t know on what basis Najeeb Jung has taken this decision.
