AAP to join Opposition meet in Bengaluru after Congress takes stand against ordinance

The second meeting of the opposition parties will take place on July 17-18 in Bengaluru, two days ahead of the Parliament's Monsoon Session, which begins on July 20.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday said it will attend a meeting of Opposition parties here after the Congress made it clear that it will oppose a contentious ordinance that has taken Delhi government’s power over its bureaucrats.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha announced the decision after a meeting of AAP’s Political Affairs Committee chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The meeting welcomed the Congress decision on the ordinance.

#WATCH | Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal will take part in the meeting of like-minded parties in Bengaluru on July 17-18: AAP MP Raghav Chadha pic.twitter.com/oRzkkyjodf

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2023

The participation of the AAP in the meeting in Bengaluru had been in doubt after the party had said that it would be impossible to attend any Opposition meeting or be part of an alliance in the Congress’ presence if the grand old party did not publicly announce its stand on the ordinance row.

Following similar assurances by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, party General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal also said on Sunday, “Congress stand is very clear and we will oppose it.”

In Patna, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had entered into a war of words over the issue. While Kharge had assured that the Congress would not support any such ordinance, the grand old party had not announced its stand in Patna as it wanted to hold discussions. Kejriwal, however, had demanded that the announcement be made then and there.