It is now almost seven months since Delhi hasn’t had an elected government. Arvind Kejriwal’s act of political harakiri in February 2014 pushed the Lieutenant Governor into the spotlight. Under the constitution, the LG has to make every possible effort to see if a government can be formed before dissolving the assembly and calling for fresh elections. He did try, but the fact is, no party was in a position to get a majority. And yet, rather than dissolve the assembly and call an election, the LG has allowed the situation to drift into a familiar scenario that allows for potential horse trading.
The BJP, after it’s spectacular success in the general elections, is on a real high. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are seen as the men with the Midas touch. And yet, for some strange reason, the BJP leadership seems reluctant to go for an election in Delhi. Surely, the fear of the Aam Admi party is no longer as omnipresent as it was at the start of the year. In politics, perceptions do matter, as does political morality. The UPA lost the general elections because they failed the moral test and were perceived as scam tainted. The BJP has a great opportunity of showing they are a party and a government with a difference. Will the anxiety of their MLAs at another election in Delhi force them to compromise on their moral high ground? The prime minister boldly says, “na khaoonga, na khane doonga!’. Their Delhi BJP senior leader though is caught on tape offering a bribe to MLAs to switch sides. It’s time to walk the talk.
