Kejriwal complains about LG to Modi

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and complained about many decisions of Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, an appointee of the central government, to turn down orders issued by the AAP government.

The Chief Minister also struck a cooperative note by promising to make Delhi “a shining city” if the BJP-led central government extends the desired cooperation to the city government.

Kejriwal did not specifically name Jung but objected to the Lieutenant Governor declaring “null and void” orders related to appointment of some senior officials. The more recent notification of the Raj Niwas to strike down Kejriwal’s decision to constitute a Commission of Inquiry into the CNG vehicle fitness scam was also raised by the Chief Minister.

Kejriwal also accused Jung-appointed Anti-Corruption Branch chief M K Meena of alleged corruption and minced no words to convey his feeling that the Delhi Police – a force controlled by Jung – seemed to be at war with the Delhi government. Under fire, Meena later said he would seek legal advice on what he could do to protect his image and rights as a government official at a time when the Chief Minister is using “objectionable” language against him.

Kejriwal’s attack on police during his meeting with Modi seemed to be with reference to the arrest of three AAP MLAs in separate criminal cases in the past two months.
Modi, according to Kejriwal, gave a patient hearing to him and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and assured to look into the Chief Minister’s concerns related to governance issues. The meeting came in the backdrop of the spiralling prices of onions in the city and sources said Kejriwal also sought help from the Prime Minister to tide over the crisis.

Kejriwal also struck a conciliatory note by claiming that irrespective of political differences of the AAP and BJP, the city government and the Centre can do wonders for Delhi.
The Chief Minister also objected to the so-called lack of say for the Delhi government in appointment of officials.

“We told him that for the development of Delhi and benefit of its people, the Centre and the state government should work in tandem,” Kejriwal told reporters after the meeting. “The Prime Minister should cooperate with us,” Kejriwal said, adding that “in two years, we will make Delhi a shining city”.

Kejriwal told reporters that he “reminded him (Modi) of the cooperation he got from the Congress government at the Centre when he was the Gujarat Chief Minister, never ever were the state government’s order declared null and void by the Governor”.  

This was Kejriwal’s first official meeting with Modi and followed a stinging ad campaign of the ruling AAP, which accused the Prime Minister of not sparing any time for tackling problems related to Delhi.

AAP spokesman Saurabh Bhardwaj said after Kejriwal’s appeal to Modi, the ball was in the Centre’s court to script a golden era of state-Centre cooperation. Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta of BJP said Kejriwal did not take anything new to the meeting with Modi.

“We would have appreciated if he had gone with concrete project plans and sought help from Modi,” he said.