Arvind Kejriwal has rallied non-BJP parties against the ordinance.
New Delhi:
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has threatened to skip tomorrow’s crucial opposition rally if the Congress does not support its campaign against a controversial central government regulation that aims to reform Delhi’s administrative services, sources said on Thursday .
The move threatens to derail efforts by India’s splintered opposition to come together and strategize for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Congress should support us in the Delhi Ordinance issue. We will boycott the opposition meeting if not done and stay away from any future opposition meetings,” AAP sources said.
The ordinance in question, introduced last month by the BJP-led government at the centre, seeks to seize control of Delhi’s bureaucrats.
The AAP has criticized the move, arguing that it undermines a recent Supreme Court verdict granting control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government.
Delhi Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday expressed hope that the Congress will pass its position on the ordinance at the opposition rally on Friday.
He has reached out to non-BJP party leaders in an effort to rally their support against the ordinance and prevent it from becoming law through parliament.
The Congress was the biggest victor in the campaign which has gained support from several regional parties opposed to the BJP.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, one of the most staunch opponents of the AAP within his party, elaborated on the latest ultimatum, saying: “Kejriwal ji no one will miss you. You were looking for excuses to skip… This meeting is not for people who make deals.”
Friday’s meeting, hosted by Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar in Patna, is expected to set the opposition’s joint strategy for the upcoming election.
“Congress will have to make its position clear as all other political parties at the meeting will ask for its position,” Kejriwal said on Tuesday.
