Delhi vs Centre ordinance row: NCP joins wagon lending support to CM Kejriwal

The meet with Pawar comes after CM Kejriwal’s pilgrimage took him to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. 

After the meet, CM Kejriwal told reporters that NCP Chief Sharad Pawar has extended complete support to the AAP-led Delhi Government in the tussle with Centre. 

CM Kejriwal noted, “If all non-BJP parties unite, the bill can be defeated in the Rajya Sabha as no party enjoys majority in the Upper House of Parliament”. “The ordinance has affected the federal structure of the country. Elected governments not being allowed to work by using ordinances is not good for the country,” Kejriwal added.

Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray have assured their support to Kejriwal in this matter.

The Delhi CM also informed that he will seek time on Friday for a meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss the issue.

Kejriwal slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and alleged that if people vote for a non-BJP government, then the party resorts to three methods (in order to topple that government) – purchase MLAs from the ruling side, show fear of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or promulgate an ordinance to ensure the elected government is unable to function.

The top AAP leader on Wednesday met former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s Bandra residence to seek support over the ordinance issue.

Sharad Pawar, who was present at the press conference, said the right of elected governments to govern needs to be protected and said all non-BJP parties should support the AAP in this matter. “Kejriwal should also meet all non-BJP parties to convince them. It is our responsibility to persuade everyone – be it Congress or Biju Janata Dal (BJD),” he suggested.

The Centre last Friday promulgated the ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, with the AAP government calling the move a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services. 

The ordinance, which comes a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government, seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre. 

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.