All eyes on Supreme Court hearing

Today, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court will decide on the AAP’s plea for dissolution of the Delhi Assembly and conducting fresh polls

Having declared its intentions to focus only on Delhi and Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party is stepping up the offensive on the BJP and Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung to build up the tempo for polls. All eyes are on the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which will decide on August 5 on AAP’s plea for dissolution of the Assembly and conducting fresh polls.

"To save citizens from “unresponsive bureaucracy”

Speaking to

The Hindu , former Delhi Minister and AAP member Manish Sisodia said the AAP will reap rich dividends from the anti-factor incumbency that comes with a delayed poll. Although, he added, his party prefers immediate elections in order to save citizens from “unresponsive bureaucracy”.

“The power tariffs are back to what they were during the Sheila Dikshit regime. Parents are struggling to get their children into government schools, where students sat through the summer without fans. Steps taken to control food price inflation are political gimmicks, which are not addressing the real issue of corruption in the mandis. This happens because bureaucrats cannot feel the pain of the people. Elected MLAs can understand people better and act faster,” Mr. Sisodia said.

On the eve of the AAP resigning from the government, he claimed, bribery had stopped and there were serpentine queues of people at the Secretariat to report grievances.

“Nowadays, you will hardly find 20 people at the Secretariat because they have lost their faith in bureaucrats. Our MLAs are getting more confident as our popularity will increase due to the anti-incumbency factor against the BJP. But our concern is the fate of the people. Where do they go to resolve their problems until polls are declared?” Mr. Sisodia denied any attempts by the AAP to poach Congress MLAs.

In the present Assembly, which is under suspended animation, the AAP has 27 seats, the Congress 8, the BJP 28, the Akali Dal 1, the Janata Dal (United) 1, one Independent, one unattached member Vinod Binny, whom the AAP had expelled, and three seats vacated by BJP legislators who were elected to Parliament.

The AAP has set its heart on the by-polls, if they are declared, to gauge the political tide. “Whatever the court may decide, the government will need a reason for President’s Rule on February 15, 2015. Finally, the people will judge what is best for them.”