If All Non-BJP Parties Unite, Centre's Ordinance Can Be Defeated In Rajya Sabha: Delhi CM After Meeting Soren

Calling the Centre's ordinance an "insult" to the people of Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal said the Ordinance can be defeated in Rajya Sabha if all non-BJP parties unite.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday asserted that the Centre's ordinance for the national capital can be defeated in Rajya Sabha if all non-BJP parties unite. He made the statement after meeting his Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren in Ranchi to get his support in their fight against the ordinance over control of administrative services in Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner support against the ordinance so that the Centre's bid to replace it through a bill is defeated when it is brought in Parliament.

Calling the Centre's ordinance an "insult" to the people of Delhi, CM Arvind Kejriwal said: "This Ordinance will be introduced in the Parliament during the monsoon session. BJP has majority in Lok Sabha but not in Rajya Sabha. So, if all non-BJP parties unite, this Ordinance can be defeated. This is not only about Delhi but about the federal principles of the country."

"We are going across the country and we have received good cooperation from all parties. I thank Hemant Soren & his party, he has assured us all support against this Ordinance. I appeal to all other parties too to oppose this Ordinance," he added, as quoted by news agency ANI.

On Thursday, both Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann met Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin who accused the Centre of creating a crisis in the non-BJP-ruled states.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have so far extended their support to the AAP.

Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, as well as his deputy Tejaswi Yadav, have also supported Kejriwal in the matter.

The Centre had on May 19 promulgated the ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, which the AAP government had called a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.

The ordinance came a week after the apex court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government. It seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.

The Centre will have to bring a bill in Parliament to replace the ordinance within six months of its promulgation. Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the top court's May 11 verdict.