Arvind Kejriwal's Insistence On Full State Powers Misplaced: Congress' Pawan Khera

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday said Arvind Kejriwal is the only chief minister of Delhi who is seeking full powers to function and is blaming external factors for his failure to deliver.

He said Sheila Dikshit had been chief minister of Delhi for 15 years who initiated a host of developmental projects in her time with the same powers even when there was a BJP government at the Centre.

"Whenever we raised the demand from the central government, we tried to work together with it and worked successfully. No wonder 150 flyovers were made, metro was introduced and CNG/ clean fuel was brought and industries were relocated," he said.

Mr Khera also claimed Arvind Kejriwal was unique in his insistence on grant of full powers to him as Delhi chief minister, something no other politician who headed the state ever did.

"What is the reason that Arvind Kejriwal is alone in asking all powers? Neither Madan Lal Khurana, nor Sahib Singh Verma, nor Sushma Swaraj, nor Sheila Dikshit ji sought so, but Arvind Kejriwal is the only Chief Minister who wants full powers to function. You blame external factors for your failure," Mr Khera told PTI.

"The Hindi proverb 'Naach na jaane, aangan tedha' ideally fits Kejriwal," he said when asked about Delhi chief minister's opposition to the Centre's ordinance which seeks to create an authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi.

Another Congress leader and former Union minister Ajay Maken, however, said other leaders, including Dikshit, did indeed fight for expansion of powers to Delhi the government but were thwarted in their request by the Centre. "It's invigorating to witness that, finally, leaders from Aam Aadmi Party are acknowledging the substantial technical concern I raised."

"Never claimed that Sheila Dikshit Ji didn't seek full statehood or expanded authority. My assertion was - 'Kejriwal (wants to) gain a unique privilege previously denied to Chief Ministers like Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj'," he said.

He said Sheila Dikshit asked for more powers in 2002, while Madan Lal Khurana, Bhagat, and Brahm Prakash, among others, made similar demands in the past.

"Notwithstanding, from Ambedkar Ji in 1947, through Patel, Nehru, Shastri, Narasimha Rao, Vajpayee, to Manmohan Singh till 2014, none granted what AAP is currently demanding from Modi or what other Delhi leaders asked for.

"Regardless of not being fully empowered, all previously Chief Ministers exhibited excellent performance due to their intent to serve, a trait unfortunately missing in Kejriwal. His singular goal appears to be to advance his personal ambitions and consolidate more power," he said in a long tweet.

Mr Maken said the refusal to grant full state powers has behind it the peculiar nature of Delhi, which also serves as the national capital.

"... the principle of cooperative federalism doesn't apply here. As such, the constitution refers to Delhi not merely as Delhi, but as the 'National Capital Territory of Delhi'. If AAP followers comprehend the essence of 'National Capital Territory', they should respectfully retract their demands," he said.

"Rather than seeking more authority to mask inefficiency and conceal corruption, focus on improving the city for which you have been given the mandate," Mr Maken said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)