Kejriwal to meet all party presidents to seek their support for defeating Centre's bill

Nitish Kumar meets Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi (Image: ANI)

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on May 21 announced to meet all party presidents, starting with Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee, to garner support as it plans to challenge the Centre’s ordinance on the transfer of bureaucrats.

Kejriwal made the statement right after concluding his meeting with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar along with deputy CM and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, at his residence on May 21.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Kejriwal said that he will personally reach out to the CMs of all opposition parties to seek their support so that any bill brought by the Centre to replace the ordinance is defeated in Rajya Sabha.

“Day after tomorrow (Tuesday), I have a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata at 3 pm. After that, I will meet every party's president to seek their formal support for defeating the bill when it comes in Rajya Sabha,” he said.

“I have also requested Nitish Kumar ji to talk to all the (opposition) parties in this regard,” he added.

An ordinance has to be ratified by Parliament within six months.

Kejriwal believes if the bill is defeated in Rajya Sabha, it will send out the message that BJP will lose the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Centre recently promulgated an ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of IAS and DANICS cadre officers and the conduct of disciplinary proceedings against them. The move came within a week of the Supreme Court handing over the control of services, excluding those related to police, public order and land, to the elected government in Delhi.

The ordinance stated: “Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, the National Capital Civil Service Authority shall have the responsibility to recommend the transfers and postings of all the Group 'A' officers and officers of DANICS serving in the affairs of the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi but not officers serving in connection with any subject matter.”

The Aam Aadmi Party believes that the promulgation of the ordinance “overturns” the May 11 apex court order giving the elected government in Delhi to have control over service matters. The development has set the stage for an intense confrontation between the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation and the Centre and the Lt Governor. It is an "insult" and contempt of the court, the Delhi CM said and added it seems that if the court comes out with any judgement against the Centre, they will overturn it.

Meanwhile, the Bihar CM has extended his “complete support” to the AAP government in its ongoing tussle with the Centre over the control of administrative services.

The Janata Dal (United) leader criticised the Centre for promulgating the ordinance after the Supreme Court verdict in the matter and said: “How can you take away an elected government's power.”

"Look at the Constitution and see what is right. Whatever he (Kejriwal) is saying is right. We are completely with him," he said.

“We will hold further meetings. We are trying to ensure that the maximum number of opposition parties come together and a nationwide campaign is launched to demand that laws are followed and there is mutual harmony and brotherhood in the country,” Kumar added. He also said he will speak to the Congress leadership regarding the ordinance.

It is important that Nitish Kumar brokers Congress support for Kejriwal, who was among the few non-BJP CMs, who were not invited by the Congress to the swearing-in ceremony of its new government in Karnataka. The two parties have locked horns as the AAP has grown in Delhi and Punjab by occupying spaces once seen mainly as Congress bastions.

Moreover, with Kejriwal's relations with the Congress far from smooth, Kumar has the task of building some working relationship between the two as he also sees the grand old party as critical to any Opposition unity bid.