Seeking the grand old party's support in the fight against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has sought a meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday.
A tweet posted by the Delhi Chief Minister read: "Sought time this morning to meet Cong President Sh Kharge ji and Sh Rahul Gandhi ji to seek Cong support in Parl against undemocratic and unconstitutional ordinance passed by BJP govt and also to discuss the general assault on the federal structure and prevailing political situation."
Sought time this morning to meet Cong President Sh Kharge ji and Sh Rahul Gandhi ji to seek Cong support in Parl against undemocratic n unconstitutional ordinance passed by BJP govt and also to discuss general assault on federal structure and prevailing political situation
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 26, 2023
This comes as Kejriwal on Thursday urged the non-BJP parties to unite and defeat in the Rajya Sabha the bill related to the Centre's ordinance.
Though Congress has been at loggerheads with the AAP, Kejrwal's seeking a meeting with the top brass comes as a shot in the arm for the opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Kejriwal met NCP leader Sharad Pawar on Thursday seeking his support. Pawar, after offering his backing, had mentioned how "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). I have been a parliamentarian for 56 years. This is not a matter of Delhi or AAP but of saving parliamentary democracy," Pawar suggested.
Kejriwal too had mentioned how defeating the Centre's ordinance is not a matter of politics but that of the country. He had urged all parties who love the country should come together.
However, Congress had so far not given any hint of softening its stance. Senior leader Pawan Khera on Thursday too hit out at Kejriwal, stating that he is the only chief minister of Delhi who has sought full powers to function.
"Whenever we raised the demand from the central government, we tried to work together with it and worked successfully. No wonder 150 flyovers were made, the metro was introduced and CNG/ clean fuel was brought and industries were relocated," he said.
Khera also claimed Kejriwal was unique in his insistence on grant of full powers to him as Delhi's chief minister, something no other politician who headed the state ever did. "What is the reason that Arvind Kejriwal is alone in asking all powers? Neither Madan Lal Khurana, nor Sahib Singh Verma, nor Sushma Swaraj, nor Sheila Dikshit ji sought so, but Arvind Kejriwal is the only CM who wants full powers to function. You blame external factors for your failure," Khera told PTI.
"The Hindi proverb 'Naach na jaane, aangan tedha' ideally fits Kejriwal," he said when asked about Delhi chief minister's opposition to the Centre's ordinance which seeks to create an authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi.
