What next for Delhi?

“Are elections the only way out to break the Delhi Assembly impasse?” The students of the Delhi-based Indian Institute of Foreign Trade answer:

With both the BJP and the AAP not being able to get to the 35-seats mark, it seems that re-election is the only option. Even with the support of one Akali Dal member the BJP will still be short of the 35-seats mark. The AAP, on the other hand, is in an unwanted situation. It knows that its political manifesto cannot be implemented. And it cannot form an alliance with the Congress who was the main target of its India Against Corruption movement. Congress, being well aware of this fact, tried to put the AAP in an awkward situation by offering unconditional support if it takes the responsibility of forming the Government. The AAP now faces the risk of being perceived as someone who is running away from taking the responsibility of government formation.

Re-election seems to be the only way out. And the AAP may come out with a clear majority if elections are held again because a lot of people underestimated its strength in these elections and after seeing its tally of 28 seats they too might want to give it a chance.

— Bhavya Verma

The hung verdict of the Delhi voter in the 2013 Assembly Elections must not be undone through fresh elections.

It will involve considerable expenditure at a time when the fiscal deficit is already high. It will prolong political uncertainty in Delhi. Elections will reflect a lack of political maturity in the political leadership at a time when regional parties are expected to do well in the 2014 General Elections. All this will lead to negative investor sentiment.

The way out is for the BJP, the single largest party, to form the Government with the AAP extending issue-based support. The AAP has captured the imagination of the voter by promising an alternative to traditional politics. It should start by giving India what it sorely needs, a constructive opposition.

— Nikhil Indla

While re-elections are not the only way out to break the Delhi Assembly impasse, it appears to be the most desirable approach to resolve this electoral deadlock.

Various political parties have the option of forming a coalitions or inducing splits in rival parties but such acts will be a breach of public trust as each of the three major political parties fought the elections on very different political and ideological paradigms. Re-elections will allow the people of Delhi to resolve the deadlock in a manner that the next government has a clear popular mandate to govern instead of having to put up with an alliance whose only point of agreement is the desire to hold on to power.

— Prasun Kumar Bhaiya

The equation in Delhi is clearly tilted in the BJP’s favour. (With ‘Others’ it has 34 seats.) However, that is the beauty of Indian politics — you just can’t declare a winner unless all cards have been played out. The BJP has made it clear that it will not involve in any kind of horse trading. It has also rejected the offer of the Governor to form the government citing lack of numbers. This rules out a BJP-led government. Recent developments show that the AAP has written to both the INC and the BJP along with a set of conditions it would like to impose in case it becomes partner to the government.

Only time will tell who catches the bait and caves in. But is it a good idea? Considering the history of coalition governments in India, even the smallest of the partners can come in the way of reforms. The chance of even a minority government cannot be ruled out. (Remember the P. V. Narasimha Rao government 1991-93?). But right now, the chances of re-election look bleak. After all, the wait to power is a tiring one.

— Charchita Biswas

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