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AAP didn't seek fresh elections: Delhi Lt Guv

by IBNS 22 May 2014, 11:49 am

New Delhi, May 22 (IBNS) Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on Thursday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) did not seek fresh elections in the national capital.

"The AAP have not communicated to me that it wants a fresh election in Delhi," said Jung.

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday called for fresh Assembly elections in New Delhi as he apologised for quitting as Chief Minister in February.

After performing far below expectations and bagging just 4 of 543 seats in the recently-concluded national elections, Kejriwal on Wednesday held a press conference  where he apologised for the resignation.

He ruled the possibility of holding a public referendum in Delhi, that has been without an elected government since mid-February, after earlier in the morning meeting members from the party.

"Many people are annoyed with us for resigning, they wanted us to continue. I apologise to the people of Delhi for this mistake. I should not have resigned," he said.

Admitting that the party is short of options to form government in Delhi with the Congress ruling out support to AAP again, Kejriwal said, “We will call for fresh elections."

"There are almost no chances of government formation in Delhi. We will travel across the capital to gauge people's mood," he said.

Kejriwal on Tuesday had told Jung that his party wants to form the government in Delhi, and asked him not to dissolve the Legislative Assembly for a week.

In a letter to the Lt. Governor, the AAP said it will hold public meetings in Delhi to obtain people's opinion on forming the government.

After remaining in power for 49 days, Kejriwal resigned as the Delhi Chief Minister as his minority AAP government-backed Jan Lokpal bill was not tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Feb 14.

The move has largely been seen as backfiring as the AAP lost much of its appeal with voters as the results of the Lok Sabha Election showed.