Centre forced to suggest Delhi assembly dissolution after failed attempts to poach AAP MLAs: Kejriwal

New Delhi: On a day Union Cabinet recommended dissolution of Delhi Assembly, AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal said the Centre was forced to take the decision as BJP’s attempts to “poach” AAP MLAs did not succeed and exhuded confidence of winning at least 45 seats in the polls to the 70-member House. [caption id=“attachment_1787737” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal (right) said that the Centre was forced to recommend Delhi Assembly dissolution. Firstpost[/caption] The former Delhi Chief Minister accused BJP of trying to form a government by “hook or crook”, and thanked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators for “foiling” efforts by that party to take the reins of Delhi through “unfair means”. “BJP was trying to form government through dishonesty. Four attempts by them to form government had been foiled. Finally, following court’s intervention, they were forced to recommend dissolution of the Delhi Assembly,” Kejriwal told reporters. The AAP Chief also referred to a video released in September by his party in which Delhi BJP Vice President Sher Singh Dagar purportedly offered Rs 4 crore to an AAP MLA. BJP had issued a show cause notice to Dagar. “This is probably for the first time in history of India that dishonest efforts to influence even a single MLA did not succeed. It proved that everybody is not for sale. There is still honesty,” he said, adding, “I congratulate all party MLAs for foiling BJP’s attempt.” Kejriwal, who led a 49-day government after the Assembly polls in December last year, said the NDA government has failed to check price rise and that law and order situation in Delhi was deteriorating “fast”. “We are confident of winning in at least 45 seats. We are confident that people of Delhi will bless us,” he said. AAP had won in 28 seats in the last Assembly polls but drew a blank in the Lok Sabha elections in New Delhi. Asked about the issues the party will focus in the poll campaign, Kejriwal said achievements of the AAP government will be highlighted, besides the party’s resolve to provide a corruption-free administration. “We will provide the first corruption-free government in Delhi. We will make Delhi a truely world-class city,” he said. Asking BJP to name its Chief Ministerial candidate, AAP leader Ashutosh said Delhiites will have to decide between Kejriwal and BJP’s Jagdish Mukhi. He said BJP was not confident of its electoral prospects. On whether he will contest from the New Delhi constituency, Kejriwal said the party will take a decision on the issue. Regarding tension in certain areas in New Delhi, Kejriwal accused BJP of spreading politics of hatred in the city. In the outgoing Assembly, BJP and its ally Akali Dal have 29 MLAs in a House of 67. Three seats fell vacant after the incumbents were elected to the Lok Sabha. BJP had emerged as the single largest party in the December Assembly polls winning 31 seats but fell four seats short of a simple majority. It had refused to form government then, saying it will not resort to any “unfair means” to take over the reins. AAP had formed the government in Delhi with the support of Congress. The government led by Kejriwal had resigned on 14 February after the party’s pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress. President’s Rule was imposed on 17 February. PTI