Congress unhappy as Supreme Court gives Centre time till October 10

NEW DELHI: Taking a dig at BJP, Congress today said the saffron party has now got "enough time to try poach MLAs" after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to apprise it on October 10 the outcome of the process undertaken by the Lt Governor on government formation in Delhi.

Party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, however, refrained from commenting on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's remarks that his party is in contact with Congress, JD(U)and some "honest" BJP legislators to prevent BJP from forming government in Delhi through "ill means".

Sources in the party, however, confirmed that AAP has indeed reached out to it to prevent the BJP from forming the government in Delhi. They said that AAP was in touch with local leaders of Congress on this issue.

"Postponement by SC for one month will give enough time to BJP to try to poach MLAs from other parties to form govt in Delhi. Lucky BJP?," Ahmed said on Twitter.

He also took pot-shots at BJP over Aam Aadmi Party's sting operation which purportedly showed a senior leader of Delhi BJP offering bribe to a legislator of AAP to switch sides.

"Seems BJP's financial position has improved after the formation of Modi Sarkar, initially it was 2 crore per MLA to defect, now it is 4 crore," Ahmed tweeted.

A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice- designate Justice H L Dattu today said that for the time being, it is not taking on record the additional affidavit and other materials (including alleged CD of a sting operation) of the Aam Aadmi Party that has alleged horse-trading by rival BJP to gain majority in the assembly.

Fixing the next hearing to October 10, the court said that the matter cannot be kept pending and it may take a view after the Centre informs it about the decision of the President and subsequent political developments.