The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has been meeting with various leaders (File)
Arvind Kejriwal today said he had asked for a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to seek the party's support in parliament over the Centre's executive order on the control of Delhi bureaucrats.
"Sought time this morning to meet Congress President Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji to seek Congress support in Parliament against undemocratic and unconstitutional ordinance passed by the BJP government and also to discuss the general assault on the federal structure and prevailing political situation," the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief has been meeting with leaders of various opposition parties to gain enough support to try and defeat the Centre's bill on the control of Delhi bureaucrats in Rajya Sabha.
The government plans to bring a bill in the monsoon session of parliament to replace the ordinance passed last week to override a recent Supreme Court order that said the elected government in Delhi, not the Centre, has control over the transfer and appointments of bureaucrats.
The Centre's ordinance created a National Capital Civil Services Authority to decide on postings and transfers of bureaucrats serving in Delhi. It includes the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and the Principal Home Secretary as members, but the final arbiter is the Lieutenant Governor, who reports to the Centre.
Mr Kejriwal, on a nationwide mission to solicit support for his fight against the Centre, has met with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP leader Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray.
Several parties have come out in AAP's support, accusing the ruling BJP at the Centre of trying to subvert the constitution and endangering democracy.
The Congress has, however, said it will consult with its regional leaders on whether to support AAP, which is its rival in states like Delhi and Bengal, and challenged it in the Gujarat election.
Mr Kejriwal's outreach to the Congress marks a significant turn in the ongoing efforts to forge unity among opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the 2024 national election.