New Delhi, May 23 : A day after the Congress said that it has not taken any decision over the ordinance brought against the Supreme Court judgment on the powers of the government of NCT of Delhi with respect to the appointment of officers, clamour grew in the party on Tuesday to not support the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on this count.
On Tuesday, Delhi Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit and Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa met in the national capital to discuss the issue.
Earlier on Monday night, clearing the party’s stand, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal had said, “The Congress 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.
“The Congress 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, it does not condone unnecessary confrontation, political witch-hunt and campaigns based on lies against political opponents by any political party.”
Speaking to IANS, Dikshit said on Tuesday, “Me and Bajwa met today and discussed the issue on supporting AAP on the ordinance issue. The party has said that it will speak to the state leaderships. So when they ask us, we will share our views with them.”
He also said that they are opposed to supporting AAP.
“This is AAP’s personal issue and it doesn’t have anything to do with opposition unity. The AAP had fielded its candidates in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka against us… its leaders also target our party daily,” Dikshit said.
“Had they (AAP) thought about opposition unity, they would not have done that. Now, AAP is feeling threatened that if the vigilance department does not come under it, the party will get exposed and even (Arvind) Kejriwal might go to jail,” Dikshit said.
When asked about AAP targeting the previous Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi, Sandeep Dikshit, who is also the son of the late former Chief Minister, said, “It is up to the Congress if it wants to give respect to its leaders, or wants to end us. Today when the people of Delhi are coming to know the reality that AAP is corrupt, how can we support them,” Dikshit asked.
Earlier on Tuesday, former Union minister and senior Congress leader Ajay Maken had also opposed any move to support the Kejriwal-led government citing several reasons.
He had cited how AAP has targeted the Congress and even passed a resolution in the Assembly requesting the Union government to withdraw the Bharat Ratna conferred on late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Tuesday met West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, where the latter assured the AAP of her party’s full support to oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar and his deputy and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav had met Kejriwal on Sunday and extended their support to the AAP over the ordinance issue.
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 the Delhi Chief Minister, with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Home) as part of the team, to make recommendations to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor regarding matters concerning transfer postings, vigilance and other incidental matters.
However, in case of a difference of opinion, the decision of the L-G shall be deemed final.
On May 11, a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court had 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.
