Delhi vs Centre ordinance row: CM Kejriwal meets CM Stalin, latter says ‘DMK will strongly oppose’

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal met his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin on Thursday, seeking support against the Centre's Ordinance on control over administrative services in national capital Delhi.

CM Kejriwal had earlier met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Shiva Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar, and Telanagana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.

In Chennai, talking to reporters, CM Stalin assured support to CM Kejriwal, who visited the southern state with fellow AAP leader and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.

CM Stalin said, “Arvind Kejriwal is a good friend...Modi-led BJP government is pressuring Delhi UT and AAP government there, by using Lt Governor. BJP government will bring an ordinance on Delhi and DMK will strongly oppose it. We had a discussion on other leaders' views and I appeal to all leaders to support Arvind Kejriwal”.

“We discussed with him today the Centre's ordinance against the Delhi government. It is undemocratic and unconstitutional. CM Stalin has assured that DMK will stand by AAP and the people of Delhi”, the chief ministers issued a joint statement.

Arvind Kejriwal also spoke to reporters and said, “I have sought an appointment with Congress President Kharge ji and Rahul ji, and I am waiting for their response. I am confident that Congress should support us”.

Congress leaders from Punjab and Delhi met All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Mallikarjun Kharge in his Delhi residence on Monday and suggested the High Command not to support the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the AAP versus Centre Ordinance row.

The sources said a majority of the leaders told the leadership to have no truck with Arvind Kejriwal, calling him a "B-team" of the BJP and claiming he harmed the Congress' interests not only in Delhi and Punjab but other states as well.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had stated, "Will be meeting Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Chennai tomorrow (1st June) to seek DMK's support against Centre's unconstitutional-undemocratic 'Anti-Delhi' Ordinance".

Notably, Kejriwal had on 23 May embarked on a nationwide tour to seek support from the Opposition parties against the Ordinance.

Kejriwal will meet Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on 2 June.

"On June 2, I will meet the Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren ji in Ranchi. Will seek their support against the ordinance passed by the Modi government against the people of Delhi," he said in a subsequent tweet.

The Union government on 19 May brought an ordinance to notify rules for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) regarding the 'transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters'.

The ordinance was brought to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and it circumvents the Supreme Court judgement in the Centre vs Delhi case.