New Delhi:
The BJP, which has been reduced to three in a house of 70, expects the treasury benches to accord it the status of Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly and would not ask for it.
While the BJP said they would not ask for the post of LoP, but may consider if the speaker offers them one, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia refused to comment on the issue. Both sides want the other to decide on the issue.
“We will not ask for the post of the Leader of Opposition. But we want the speaker to go by the rule book,” Vijender Gupta, BJP’s Leader of Legislature party told reporters.
When asked whether the party would accept the post of LoP if made an offer to which Gupta said, “If the speaker makes an offer, we will give it a thought,” Gupta added.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia too refused to comment over the issue. “Lets see,” Sisodia said when asked about the issue.
AAP sources said although the party was keen to offer the BJP the post of LoP, it wants the saffron party to take the first step.
“Giving them LoP will hardly make any difference to us. In Lok Sabha, the Congress has been waiting for the post of LoP for the past eight months.
“We have no problems giving them LoP, but they should first make the move and raise the issue,” said a senior party leader.
The BJP finds itself in a tricky situation. After the party’s spectacular win in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress was reduced to 44 seats. Despite being the second largest party in the Lok Sabha, the BJP has still not offered the post of LoP to the Congress.
Ironically, in Delhi, the BJP has been reduced to three MLAs and does not qualify for the post of LoP.
Meanwhile, newly elected speaker Ram Niwas Goel has said that he will take up the matter with BJP as the government has already made it clear that LoP will go to the BJP.
“I will call them and talk to them seperately. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia ji has already made it clear that the LoP will be given to the BJP,” Goel said.
