In front of the cameras they might be saying 'Pehle Aap' but behind the scenes, BJP leaders are a worried lot. Senior BJP leaders are concerned that the Congress could create conditions which will lead to the calling of early elections in Delhi in February-March, ahead of the General Elections.
The BJP leadership fears that if Assembly Elections are advanced then there is a real possibility of the Aam Aadmi Party forming the next government in the capital. The BJP feels that the Congress knows it is on the way out and might help the Aam Aadmi Party come to power in Delhi, in a bid to show that there is no pro-Modi wave in the country.
Speaking exclusively to INN Live, BJP's Delhi in-Charge, Nitin Gadkari said that the BJP wants the Aam Aadmi Party to form the next government in Delhi, with Congress' support. "We welcome the statement of the Congress spokesperson that the Congress is prepared to support the Aam Aadmi Party government from the outside. BJP will back such an attempt wholeheartedly and play the role of a responsible opposition."
Gadkari also said that the BJP is prepared to consider supporting a government of the Aam Aadmi Party in case Arvind Kejriwal were to ask the party for support . "Kejriwal is saying he does not want to tie-up with us. But in case he asks for BJP's support, the party's parliamentary board will discuss this possibility very seriously."
There is a section in the Delhi BJP that feels that being the single largest party the BJP should attempt to form the next government in Delhi. But Narendra Modi is dead set opposed to such a possibility. The BJP's prime ministerial candidate flew down to Delhi on Tuesday evening for a late night meeting with the BJP top brass. Well placed sources in the party told the India Today group that the Gujarat CM is concerned that any attempt to cobble together a majority in the capital will mar the credibility of Modi's campaign ahead of the General Elections.
"Since Vajpayee's time the BJP has desisted from forming governments by wrong means . The NDA government fell by one vote, but we did not attempt to buy votes. The people of Delhi have not given us a majority, we do not have the numbers so there is no possibility of the BJP forming the government on its own," said Gadkari.
The BJP wants to ward off the possibility of Assembly Elections at least till the General Elections when the party believes it stands a much better chance of countering the Kejriwal effect since Modi will be a factor in the General Elections.
Gadkari said, "In case AAP and the Congress are not able to form the next government, then the BJP will try to find a way out. We do not want early elections at any cost. We believe that the people of Delhi deserve a government and it is the responsibility of political parties to find a way out. An early poll is not in the interests of the people of Delhi."
The BJP leadership, which earlier dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party as a 'Chiller Party', is now taking the threat posed by Kejriwal very seriously. The party wants to ensure that they are able to contain Kejriwal to Delhi so that AAP cannot impact Modi's election campaign nationally.
With the Congress government decimated in Delhi and discredited nationally, the BJP does not want Kejriwal to emerge as a counter to Modi.
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