New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was trying to garner support from opposition parties against the Central government's ordinance, could not meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday. It was learnt from the sources on Monday morning that Kharge will have an interaction with Kejriwal at the Congress party headquarters. Three days ago, the Delhi CM had sought an appointment with the Congress national president.
According to sources, the Congress high command was in favour of supporting Kejriwal on the ordinance issue. The Congress party was keen on supporting Kejriwal for forging opposition unity. The opinion of the leaders of Delhi and Punjab was taken in this regard. Congress leaders from Delhi and Punjab met the party leadership in New Delhi in separate meetings on Monday. They suggested them not to support the Aam Aadmi Party on the Delhi Services Ordinance issue, sources said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had convened a meeting of leaders from the two states for seeking their opinion on the matter. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi was also present during the meetings. Sources said the majority of the leaders told the leadership not to have ties with Arvind Kejriwal. The Delhi CM was called a "B-team" of the BJP and he harmed the Congress' interests not only in Delhi and Punjab, but in other states as well, sources added.
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From the Delhi Congress, around 7-8 senior leaders attended the meeting. "All leaders clearly said the AAP shouldn't be supported in the matter of Ordinance, but the final call is with the high command. However, the Delhi Congress views the matter of ordinance as a state government issue and not as an issue of any individual or as a matter of showing support to the AAP," a source in the party said.
The meeting comes in the wake of Kejriwal requesting a meeting with Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to seek their support against an Ordinance brought by the Centre, which effectively nullified a Supreme Court order that gave the Delhi government the power of transferring bureaucrats in the city.
