Delhi vs Centre ordinance row: CM Kejriwal to meet Uddhav Thackeray today

NEW DELHI: In an effort to garner opposition parties’ support against the Centre’s ordinance on control of administrative services in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday.

The meeting between the leaders will be held at Uddhav’s residence on Wednesday evening, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.

During his visit to Mumbai, Chief Minister Kejriwal will be accompanied by Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chaddha and Delhi Minister Atishi will also be present at the meeting.

On Thursday, Kejriwal will meet Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo, Sharad Pawar, AAP said.

Notably, Kejriwal met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday.

The Delhi Chief Minister on Tuesday embarked on a nationwide tour to seek support from the Opposition parties against the ordinance brought by the central government on the transfers and postings of bureaucrats in the national capital.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor accused the Centre of “taking away the rights” of the people of Delhi and said that the ordinance “should not” be allowed to pass in Rajya Sabha.

This comes after the Union Government on May 19 brought an ordinance to notify rules for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) regarding the ‘transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters’.

The ordinance was brought to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and it circumvents the Supreme Court judgement in the Centre vs Delhi case.

Shortly after meeting with Kejriwal, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that the Opposition parties should oppose the ordinance.

“Only Supreme Court can save the country. Even Media has been purchased. They want to control the judiciary and all the agencies. I would appeal to all the Opposition parties to oppose the ordinance. My party has decided to oppose the ordinance. This will be the justice of the Supreme Court,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also been putting in efforts to rally the opposition against the Centre ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Nitish Kumar, in this regard, met Arvind Kejriwal in the national capital and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.