New Delhi/Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday assured her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal that the Trinamool Congress would support the Aam Aadmi Party in its fight against the Centre’s ordinance to control appointments and transfers of bureaucrats. Banerjee told reporters after an hour-long meeting here that the upcoming vote in the Rajya Sabha to convert the Centre’s ordinance on control of services in Delhi into law would be a semi-final before the 2024 elections.
Kejriwal attacked BJP
Arvind Kejriwal, who arrived in Kolkata with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as part of a nationwide tour to garner support for his fight against the Centre, also launched an attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He alleged that the BJP uses governors to harass non-BJP governments like West Bengal and Punjab. Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP uses the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an attempt to topple governments of opposition parties for horse-trading.
Support to AAP against Centre’s ordinance: Mamata Banerjee
On the other hand, Mamta Banerjee told the media that we support the Aam Aadmi Party in the fight against the ordinance of the Center… All parties are requested not to vote for the BJP’s law (to control appointments in Delhi). The point of contention is the Centre’s ordinance regarding setting up of the National Capital Civil Services Authority, which has reversed the Supreme Court’s order. The Supreme Court had given control of services to the elected government of Delhi, except for services related to police, public order and land.
Delhi government’s powers back through ordinance
The Centre’s new ordinance has a provision to take away these powers from the Delhi government and give them to a committee which will be effectively controlled by the Centre. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already sought the support of all non-BJP parties, saying it is a time of test for the opposition parties, and they should come together if they want to save the country’s democracy and constitution. .
After Nitish, now Arvind Kejriwal will meet Uddhav and Sharad Pawar, will seek support against the central ordinance
Kejriwal has met Nitish Kumar
Earlier, Kejriwal had also met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the issue of the ordinance. Kumar has given full support to the Aam Aadmi Party on this matter. The AAP chief is also likely to meet Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday. The ordinance has to be approved by the Parliament within six months. For this, the Center will have to get the bill passed in both the Houses of the Parliament.
