Delhi best left to Delhiites, Kejriwal tells PM

Power trail: New CM vows to find solutions to problems instead of micro-managing

The responsibility of running Delhi should be left to Delhiites, Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, launching a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of full statehood to Delhi.

Kejriwal had met Modi and raised the issue of granting full statehood to the national capital just two days before being sworn-in as the eighth chief minister of Delhi.
However, the prime minister remained non-committal on the issue.

“The BJP has been promising full statehood to Delhi. I told the prime minister that God can’t give us a more golden opportunity than this,” Kejriwal said, addressing supporters at the oath-taking ceremony at Ramlila Maidan.

Full statehood to Delhi was one of the promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party in the run-up to the Assembly polls. “We want constructive cooperation to make Delhi a top class city,” he said.

“The Delhi Police doesn’t come under the Delhi government, but will work in cooperation with them. People of  all regions will be safe,” Kejriwal said, while talking about spurt in cases of communal violence.

Law and order
“When crime rises the prime minister doesn’t find enough time to concentrate on the city,” he said, suggesting that  Modi should lay emphasis on “national and international” issues. 

At present, law and order and land issues in the capital are controlled by the Centre through the Lt governor and an elected Delhi government has no say in such matters.
Kejriwal had invited Modi to his swearing-in, but Modi had expressed his inability to attend the ceremony because of a prior engagement.

Prior to meeting Modi, the Delhi chief minister, along with his deputy Manish Sisodia, had met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu seeking their help in getting full state rights for Delhi.