Delhi ordinance row: Kharge calls for meeting, to decide on supporting AAP

According to Congress sources, Kharge has called a meeting of the party leaders to discuss the issue on May 29 at 10.30 am

New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of the party leaders on May 29 to discuss whether the party needs to support Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the Centre’s ordinance to negate the Supreme Court judgement on placing ‘services’ under the control of the state government in the national capital.

According to party sources, Kharge has called a meeting of the party leaders to discuss the issue on May 29 at 10.30 a.m.

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The meeting comes in the wake of the request from Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi over the ordinance issue.

In a tweet on Friday, Kejriwal said, “Sought time this morning to meet Congress President Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji to seek Congress support in Parliament against undemocratic and unconstitutional ordinance passed by BJP government and also to discuss general assault on federal structure and prevailing political situation.”

After the request from the AAP leader, Congress sources on Friday said that the party is still considering his request.

On Monday night, Congress general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said, “The Congress Party has not taken any decision on the issue of the Ordinance brought against the SC judgment on the powers of the Government of NCT of Delhi with respect to appointment of officers. It will consult its state units and other like-minded parties on the same. The Party believes in the Rule of Law and at the same time does not condone unnecessary confrontation, political witch-hunt and campaigns based on lies against political opponents by any political party.”

Many Congress leaders from Delhi and Punjab have opposed supporting Kejriwal over the issue. Senior Congress leaders like Ajay Maken, Sandeep Dikshit and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa had already echoed that the party should not support AAP.

Kejriwal has already met Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal(U) leader Nitish Kumar along with his deputy and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on May 21. Both the leaders have announced to support the AAP over the ordinance issue.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal travelled to West Bengal to meet his counterpart and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and seek her support. Banerjee also announced her support to the AAP leader.

The AAP leaders also travelled to Maharashtra and met former chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar separately. Both the leaders have also extended their support to Kejriwal’s party.

Kejriwal is also supposed to travel to Hyderabad to meet Bharath Rashtra Samithi leader and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao seeking his support over the issue on Saturday.

Kejriwal has last week urged the opposition parties to not let the Bill over ordinance to pass in Rajya Sabha for the people of Delhi.

The Central government has brought an ordinance to set up a permanent authority known as the National Capital Civil Service Authority whose chairperson will be Delhi chief minister, who, along with chief secretary, Delhi, Principal Secretary (Home), Delhi, will make recommendations to the Delhi L-G regarding matters concerning transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters. However, in case of difference of opinion, the decision of the L-G shall be final.

On May 11, a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court ruled that it is ideal to hold that a democratically elected Delhi government should have control over its officers and the L-G is bound by the advice of the elected government in everything other than public order, police, and land. The top court stressed that if the government is not able to control and hold to account the officers posted in its service, then its responsibility towards the legislature as well as the public is diluted.

The ordinance came after the apex court gave the Delhi government control in services matters, including transfer and posting of officers.