Kejriwal seeks meeting with Rahul Gandhi amid battle with Centre over ordinance

Kejriwal seeks meeting with Rahul Gandhi amid battle with Centre over ordinance
Chandigarh: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday sought time to meet Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to get party’s support in Delhi services ordinance issue. Kejriwal tweeted: “Sought time this morning to meet Cong President Sh Kharge ji and Sh Rahul Gandhi ji to seek Cong support in Parl against undemocratic n unconstitutional ordinance passed by BJP govt and also to discuss general assault on federal structure and prevailing political situation.”

The Centre on May 19 had promulgated the ordinance to create an authority for the transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, which the AAP government had called a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.

The ordinance came a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi, excluding police, public order and land, to the elected government. It seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 top court verdict. Chief Minister Kejriwal, who is the AAP’s national convener, has sought support of various political parties, including the NCP, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the TMC, on the Delhi services issue.