Will Lt Governor’s invitation change Kejriwal’s mind?

Bhartiya Janata Party chief ministerial candidate for Delhi, Harsh Vardhan, met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung ate in the evening yesterday. Keeping his stance of not forming the government, Vardhan declined his proposal of forming the government. Following which, Jung invited Aam Aadmi Party’s leader Arvind Kejriwal for discussion on government’s formation.

All the party members will meet at Kejriwal’s residence for discussing all the pros and cons today on the issue. But the party has till now maintained that it will neither support nor accept support from Congress or BJP.

While talking to the media, party leader Kumar Vishwas reiterated party stance. But one of his statement indicated that AAP may rethink options of government formation in front of it. Vishwas told media that “popular suggestion whether to form government, or sit in opposition, or help the government” will shape party’s decision.

It should be noted that various AAP sympathizer Kiran Bedi and its own leader Manish Sisodia had voiced their suggestion of forming a government via issue based support to BJP. Even today Rahul Gandhi and Congress promised AAP unconditional support to form government in Delhi. Netizens and general public have also been voicing their support to AAP for government formation with BJP. But Kejriwal had asked people to get ready for re-election as he would not take or extent support to these parties in any condition.

Given Vishwas’s latest statement, Kejriwal may ponder about changing his decision as forcing another election on the people who support AAP in the assembly elections and lead them to glorious victory.

The mandate was very clear. AAp had been campaigning against Congress and BJP both. Yet people decided to give more votes to BJP than to AAP. Even though the difference is of mere four seats, the BJP stays winner. The people who put their faith in Kejriwal gave their votes to AAP with the hope that they will form a clean government. Now Kejriwal has the opportunity but he is avoiding it.

No doubt his credibility will fall a bit if he retracts from his statements and extends or takes support from BJP. But he should not forget that the BJP emerged as people’s choice in the elections. If the re-elections are held somewhere near the general elections, the Modi wave that hit Delhi late and yet delivered good result for BJP, may harm AAP taking all its chances away.

If Kejriwal takes or extends support to BJP, he can play to his advantage and keep a tab on the government too.

What will transpire in the AAP meeting will be out only tomorrow after Kejriwal meets Jung. Now Delhi’s fate – whether it will be re-election for Delhi or a clean government – will depend on this discussion and how much Jung was able to succeed in changing Kejriwal’s mind.