NEW DELHI: Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi’s Chief Minister, has reached out to Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi of the Indian National Congress (INC) seeking their support against an “undemocratic and unconstitutional” ordinance passed by the BJP government. Kejriwal aims to discuss “the assault on the federal structure” and the prevailing political situation during the proposed meeting scheduled for Friday morning.
In a tweet, Kejriwal stated, “Sought time this morning to meet Cong President Sh Kharge ji and Sh Rahul Gandhi ji to seek Cong support in Parl against undemocratic n unconstitutional ordinance passed by BJP govt and also to discuss the general assault on the federal structure and prevailing political situation.(Sic.)”
The AAP MP, Raghav Chadha, also expressed the party’s need for Congress support to oppose the ordinance in Parliament. The BJP-led central government recently introduced an ordinance that supersedes a Supreme Court judgment regarding the transfer and posting of officials in Delhi. According to the ordinance, these decisions will be made by the National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA), consisting of two IAS-level officers and the Chief Minister, with final approval from the Lt Governor of Delhi.
The AAP strongly objected to the ordinance, denouncing it as undemocratic and unconstitutional. The party has sought support from various opposition parties, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal United (JDU), Trinamool Congress (TMC), NCP, and Shiv Sena (UBT).
Interestingly, the Congress party leaders hold different opinions on supporting the AAP. While some Congress leaders based in Delhi, like Sandeep Dixit and Ajay Maken, have openly criticized Kejriwal and his policies, their party has yet to give a formal response to the AAP’s request for support.
Earlier this week, Kejriwal met with Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in Mumbai, where Pawar announced his party’s opposition to the ordinance in Parliament. The AAP also received support from the Shiv Sena (UBT) after Kejriwal’s meeting with Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut in Mumbai.
Opposition against the central government’s move is growing, with the Janata Dal United (JDU), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Left parties also expressing their support for the AAP. The response from the Congress party regarding AAP’s appeal for support is eagerly awaited.
As the debate intensifies, the outcome of the proposed meetings between Kejriwal, Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi will play a significant role in shaping the opposition’s strategy to challenge the ordinance in Parliament.