Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's season's greetings to Chief Minister Atishi has packed in a punch directed at her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal. On this occasion, the LG said he was 'hurt' that Mr Kejriwal had called Atishi a "temporary Chief Minister". "There is no such post in the Constitution and it is a reprehensible neglect to the concept of democracy in the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar," he wrote, underscoring that it was an insult to the President of India who appointed her and himself, who administered the oath to her.
In a blistering statement, Atishi accused the Lieutenant Governor of playing "dirty politics".
"Everyone knows in what circumstances you were appointed," he wrote. Then listing multiple areas, where he alleged the government has failed, he said while Mr Kejriwal has admitted to his government's shortcomings, Atishi, as the current Chief Minister, will bear the blame even though no one can do much in the time left in her tenure.
Assembly elections are due in Delhi in February next year.
The Lieutenant Governor - who said he was writing in a personal capacity -- however, had opened his letter to the Chief Minister with much praise, commending her efficiency and initiative.
"This is the first time in my two-and-a-half-year tenure that I am seeing a Chief Minister discharge the duties of a Chief Minister. Your predecessor did not handle a single government department and never signed a file. In contrast, you are handling many departments and trying to tackle many governance issues," he wrote.
"Instead of doing dirty politics, you should focus on the betterment of Delhi," a statement from Atishi's office read. "Arvind Kejriwal worked for the betterment of Delhi for nine-and-a-half years. I am running the government on the path shown by Arvind Kejriwal. The people of Delhi have made Arvind Kejriwal win again and again," she added. Then came another jibe: "As a woman, I am personally hurt by your obstruction in the Mahila Samman Yojana".
The Lieutenant Governor had showered praise on Atishi earlier also, calling her "a thousand times better" than Arvind Kejriwal.
Last month, at the seventh convocation ceremony of the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women, Mr Saxena had said, "I am happy today that Delhi's CM is a woman, and I can confidently say that she is a thousand times better than her predecessor".
In August, Mr Saxena had refused to allow Atishi to hoist the said national flag on Independence Day. She was the choice of Mr Kejriwal, then Chief Minister who was in jail in connection with the Delhi liquor scam.
Mr Saxena had over-ridden Mr Kejriwal's choice and had nominated then Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gehlot to hoist the flag during the official government function.
