15 AAP MLAs in talks with BJP for government formation, says Congress

NEW DELHI: A day after its rally, Aam Aadmi Party came under fire from the Delhi Congress that claimed many AAP MLAs are trying to break away to help BJP form the government in Delhi.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh said AAP held the rally on Sunday as a show of solidarity to keep its flock together. DPCC chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma alleged some AAP MLAs are trying to negotiate with BJP for government formation. Sharma quoted "reliable sources" as saying that an industrialist is mediating between 15 AAP MLAs and BJP for government formation, and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal is aware of this deal. "Of these MLAs, three are from west Delhi and Kejriwal is aware of such things," Sharma said.

He made light of the turnout at AAP's rally: "What were people from Haryana and Punjab doing at the AAP rally on Sunday? I thought it was about matters concerning the people of Delhi".

Reacting to BJP and AAP demanding the resignation of Kerala governor Sheila Dikshit over irregularities in development works alleged by the CAG, Congress said these colonies were regularized as per the guidelines of the ministry of urban development. "Congress feels proud of regularizing them for the welfare of lakhs of people living in these colonies. No irregularities were done while developing these colonies," Arvinder Singh told reporters.

CAG in its recent report had said that the Delhi government failed to provide basic services like sewer lines, water lines, roads and drainage in all 895 unauthorized colonies despite spending around Rs 3,029 crore.

"We want to clarify that the decision to lay sewer lines in such colonies was taken after 2013. BJP and AAP are just playing politics on this issue," Singh said. The DPCC chief also said that if Congress returns to power, it will regularize the remaining unauthorized colonies.

"If we did something wrong, why is BJP, which is in power, not ordering a probe in the matter? Since Congress demitted office, no new tender has been floated for the development work in these colonies," he added.

Congress leader Haroon Yusuf said, "Why is the BJP silent on the CAG report on Gujarat, which has pointed out irregularities to the tune of Rs 27,600 crore? Kejriwal is also silent on the CAG report on Gujarat".