Cabinet clears dissolution of Delhi Assembly, fresh polls likely to be announced soon

Yesterday, BJP had declined Lt Governor Najeeb Jung’s invitation to form the government, with Cong, AAP favouring fresh polls.

PM Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and FM Arun Jaitley during the party’s Central Election Committee meeting for the upcoming Assembly elections in New Delhi on Sunday. (Source: PTI photo)

Paving the way for fresh assembly elections in Delhi after a political uncertainty stretching for eight months, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday decided to ratify Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung’s recommendation to dissolve the Delhi Assembly. A special meeting of the Union Cabinet – which usually meets on Wednesdays – was called to deliberate upon the matter.

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Jung had met the leaders of BJP, the AAP and the Congress on Monday to discuss government formation in Delhi. After all these parties expressed their inability to form the government, Jung is learnt to have sent his report to the President recommending dissolution of the Delhi assembly. The President, in turn, is learnt to have forwarded Jung’s recommendations to the Union government.

AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal leaves after attending a meeting with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung at Raj Niwas in New Delhi on Monday. (Source: PTI photo)

Following the Cabinet’s clearance to the dissolution of the assembly, the Election Commission will now come up with dates to hold assembly elections in Delhi. It will also cancel the recently announced by-elections to three assembly seats in the state.

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Delhi has remained under President’s Rule after the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government resigned after 49 days in office in February.

LG’s consultations with the three main political parties came in the wake of the Supreme Court putting the issue on fast track and giving him time till November 11 to explore the possibility of forming a government. The court was hearing AAP’s petition seeking early dissolution of the assembly, which has been under suspended animation since February.