Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai, May 24: Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, met Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday at Matoshree in Mumbai to solicit his support against the Center’s ordinance on the transfers and postings of bureaucrats in Delhi. The Sena faction led by Uddhav has pledged support to the AAP and will speak out against the ordinance in Parliament.
“Uddhav Thackeray made us family members. We also believe in having relations and this will be a lifelong relationship. I assure you,” Kejriwal said after the meeting.
Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister of Punjab, Sanjay Singh, and Raghav Chadha, members of the AAP’s Rajya Sabha, as well as Delhi minister Atishi, were there with Kejriwal.
“All our powers were taken away in 2015 and for eight years we fought in the Supreme Court,” Kejriwal said.
He added, “The day a decision came from the SC, the Union government brought an ordinance and took our power. This clearly shows they don’t believe in the Supreme Court.”
The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government lost control over bureaucrats as a result of an ordinance issued by the Centre. The action was taken after the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Delhi government had the power to decide where and when to transfer or post officials.
Notably, prior to the Supreme Court’s decision on May 11, the lieutenant governor exercised executive authority over all transfers and postings of Delhi government employees.
“Their leaders abuse judges. Their people campaign against Supreme Court judges. This ordinance clearly shows that whatever decision is taken by the SC they will not accept,” Kejriwal said, blaming the BJP.
Kejriwal claimed that the BJP utilised its financial clout and central agencies to topple the government, using the Shiv Sena split and the subsequent overthrow of the Uddhav-led government in Maharashtra as an example.
“Or they will bring an ordinance and take away the power. They had operation lotus in Delhi as well but they failed,” Kejriwal further said.
“I am thankful to Shiv Sena (UBT) for supporting us and helping the people of Delhi. This is not just a fight for Delhi but for the entire country. We all have to fight together,” he said.
Uddhav Thackeray, who lost his party to Eknath Shinde and eventually helped the BJP build a government, remarked in the meantime, “We all have come together to save the country and democracy. I think we should not be called opposition parties. In fact, they (Centre) should be called the Opposition since they are against democracy and Constitution.”
In reference to L-G VK Saxena’s conflict with the AAP administration in Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who travelled with Kejriwal to Matoshree, said elected, not selected people are running the government.
“If they [BJP] come back to power in 2024, they will change the Constitution. They sold everything. They are harassing the judiciary. Therefore, we are here to urge Uddhav ji to support us,” Mann said.
Kejriwal also met with Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the TMC and the chief minister of West Bengal, in Kolkata as part of his campaign to rally support for the AAP’s opposition to the Delhi ordinance.
