Never backed BJP to form Delhi govt: Sheila

NEW DELHI: Cold-shouldered by Congress for her remarks on government formation in Delhi, former chief minister Sheila Dikshit sounded defensive on Saturday while clarifying her stand. In a statement to end her isolation within the party, Dikshit claimed that she never backed Bharatiya Janata Party to form a government in the national capital.
Political analysts see Dikshit's clarification as a move to ease her son, Sandeep Dikshit, a Congress spokesperson, out of a difficult situation that her statement may have landed him in.
READ ALSO: Former chief minister Sheila Dikshit backs BJP's bid to form govt in Delhi, Congress ‘shocked’
"I never said BJP should form Delhi government. All I said was that if they have the numbers, they should form a government," she said in an interview to a news channel. On Thursday, Dikshit had stirred a controversy when she said, "In a democracy, elected governments are always good as they represent the people. If BJP has reached such a situation that it can form a government, it is good for Delhi."
Dikshit's remarks had left Congress embarrassed as she supported the formation of a government in Delhi that has been under President's rule since February. Her stand was contrary to her party's position on the subject.
All India Congress Committee and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee had distanced themselves from the former CM's comments saying these were her personal views and Congress wants immediate dissolution of the Delhi assembly so that fresh polls can take place.
The statement by Dikshit, whose resignation as governor of Kerala led to speculation about her return to active politics, came at a time when AAP and Congress were accusing BJP of trying to poach MLAs to form a government in Delhi.

AAP leader and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. AAP has demanded that fresh assembly election is held in Delhi for new government formation in the state.
While Congress was seen to be distancing itself from Dikshit's remarks, her return to Delhi has certainly set off a power tussle in the party that was pushed to third place with just eight MLAs after 15 years in government.
In her interview to clarify her stand on government formation on Saturday, Dikshit also told CNN-IBN that she is not in the race for power in Delhi. She said, "I rule myself out of Delhi completely. I am not interested. Let the young generation take over".
She also said that she was pressured to step down as Kerala governor. "The way a bureaucrat called me asking me to quit was not right. Governor is a constitutional position. I suggest that Parliament should come out with a law that when a new government comes in, the old governor should automaticallyresign. Look how they treated Kamla Beniwal. Why should transfers to Northeast be seen as punishment postings?"
Even as Congress has chosen to distance itself from Dikshit's views on government formation, at least two of her party's MLAs-Mateen Ahmad from Seelampur and Asif Mohd from Okhla-openly came out in support of her on Friday saying they also felt that BJP should form a government if it can get the numbers.
With most MLAs across party lines unwilling to face elections so soon after December, Dikshit's remarks have touched a chord.
Dikshit also stepped forward to defend former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against allegations made by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai in the 2G spectrum case. "No one has the right to blame him. Why didn't Vinod Rai raise it earlier?" she said.