Amid administrative services ordinance row, Kejriwal and Nitish call for opposition unity

After meeting at Kejriwal’s residence in Delhi, the JD(U) leader extended “complete support” to the AAP convenor in the ongoing tussle with the Centre over the control of administrative services in Delhi.

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

Kejriwal had on Saturday said that the ordinance was “unconstitutional” and they will challenge it in the apex court.

Nitish Kumar said the Centre’s actions were “strange” and “baffling”. “How can you take away an elected government’s power,” the Janata Dal (United) leader asked. The Bihar chief minister said Kejriwal is doing good work in Delhi and it’s surprising that his government is being stopped from doing its work. “That’s why we are saying that all (opposition parties) in the country should come together,” he added.

Kejriwal said he would meet leaders of other opposition parties to ensure that any bill brought to replace the recent central ordinance is not passed in Rajya Sabha.

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

“It will be the semi-final of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” the AAP national convenor told reporters outside his residence.

Kejriwal will be meeting the chiefs of the TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP this week to seek their support.

“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,” Kejriwal said.

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

The BJP hit out at both Kumar and Kejriwal, saying the Bihar chief minister should pay attention to his state which is being pushed into “anarchy” instead of daydreaming about becoming the prime minister.

Addressing a press conference, BJP’s six MPs from Delhi said Kejriwal was seeking the support of opposition leaders who he once branded as corrupt.