Kejriwal to meet Stalin on June 1 to seek support against Delhi Ordinance

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin here on Thursday to drum up support against an Ordinance that clips Delhi government’s powers on posting and transfer of senior officials.

Kejriwal will meet Stalin, who arrived here on Wednesday after a nine-day trip to Japan and Singapore to garner investments, along with senior party leaders including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

“Will be meeting Tamil Nadu CM Thiru @mkstalin in Chennai tomorrow (June 1) to seek DMK's support against Centre's unconstitutional-undemocratic 'Anti-Delhi' Ordinance,” the Delhi CM tweeted.

The meeting assumes significance as it comes close on the heels of Kejriwal calling on leaders from Opposition parties to explain the “injustice” being meted out to Delhi government by the Union government. Kejriwal has so far met chief ministers of West Bengal, and Telangana and will meet his Jharkhand counterpart soon.

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Sources in the AAP said Kejriwal will seek DMK’s support for opposing the Ordinance and ask its members to raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament. “Kejriwal and Stalin have a good rapport with each other. Besides seeking DMK’s support for saving federalism, Kejriwal will also discuss politics with the TN CM,” a source in the AAP said.

Kejriwal’s meeting with Stalin is also significant as the DMK is an ally of the Congress, which hasn’t taken any stand on the Ordinance. Though the DMK enjoys good equation with Kejriwal, the party has been very cautious on taking stands on issues to ensure that it doesn’t irk the Congress.

“We need to wait and watch what transpires at Thursday’s meeting,” a DMK leader said.

Stalin has been asking Opposition parties to come together on a “single platform” to take on the BJP in the 2024 polls. He has also been speaking against the Third Front saying it was “pointless” and will never reach the shores.

With Kharge by his side on his 70th birthday celebrations, Stalin had strongly pitched for Congress as the fulcrum of the Opposition alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Tamil Nadu chief minister was also categorical that an anti-BJP front without the Congress was not a “workable option” and said Opposition parties in the country should take a leaf out of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, an amalgamation of several political parties, which has won all elections held in Tamil Nadu after 2019.