Ram Gopal Yadav appealed to PM Modi and Anil Baijal to speak to Arvind Kejriwal. (File)
Two days after the chief ministers of four non-BJP-ruled states expressed solidarity with Arvind Kejriwal, who is on an indefinite sit-in demonstration at the LG's office, the Samajwadi Party (SP) today extended its support to the Delhi chief minister with a senior party leader saying, "if needed, we will also sit on a dharna".
SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said his party was with Mr Kejriwal, who has stayed put at the office of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal since June 11 over his demands, including a direction to the IAS officers to call off their "strike".
The Rajya Sabha MP also met Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain at the LNJP Hospital, where they were admitted after their health condition deteriorated following the hunger strike.
After both the ministers were hospitalised, now Mr Kejriwal and Development Minister Gopal Rai are sitting on the dharna at the LG office.
Mr Yadav appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Baijal to speak to Mr Kejriwal in order to resolve the issue.
"If the Delhi government, which works for the welfare of the people, takes a step, the LG stops it. The Centre has kept mum on the issue.
"I am completely with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Arvind Kejriwal and if needed, we will also sit on a dharna," he told reporters after meeting Mr Sisodia and Mr Jain at the hospital.
The SP leader added that Mr Kejriwal was staging the dharna for over a week, but nobody wanted to speak to him.
"It is unheard of in the history of democracy that IAS officers have gone on a strike...You (reporters) can very well understand the reasons behind it. Where are they getting their powers from?" he asked.
"I want to appeal to the prime minister and the LG to speak to Kejriwal as it is a very serious issue. Do not create an unnecessary situation, which may lead to the BJP not getting even a single seat (in Delhi)," Mr Yadav said.
Senior CPI leader D Raja also met Mr Sisodia and Mr Jain at the hospital today.
Mr Sisodia was rushed to the hospital around 3 pm today after the ketone level in his urine rose sharply and his sugar level dropped, a senior doctor said.
Mr Jain was hospitalised late last night after his condition deteriorated. He was stable now, the doctors said.
On Saturday, the chief ministers of four non-BJP-ruled states -- West Bengal, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala -- had urged the prime minister to resolve the issue.