Withdraw Delhi ordinance or it will be defeated in Parliament, KCR tells Centre

Extending his party BRS's support to his Delhi counterpart, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has demanded the central government to withdraw the ordinance to negate the Supreme Court verdict on civil service officers transfers-postings in Delhi, “like it did with the contentious farm legislation earlier.”

As part of a nationwide tour to shore up opposition parties' support in his fight with the centre over the ordinance, AAP national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal met with KCR in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Later, pointing out that the BJP lacks the numbers in Rajya Sabha, Kejriwal said that “unity of non-BJP parties can defeat the ordinance bill in Parliament.”

“The bill's defeat offers confidence that Modi can be defeated in 2024. The bill is like a semi-final to the 2024 polls. This fight is to save the freedom and democracy in the country,” said Kejriwal in a joint press conference addressed alongside KCR.

“The situation now in the country is worse than during the Emergency days. Troubling a popular government is not good,” said KCR, while appealing to PM Modi and the centre to withdraw the ordinance to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act immediately.

“We all stand strongly in support of Kejriwal as this is a question about the existence of democracy in the country. (If the ordinance bill is not withdrawn) we will deploy all our strengths to ensure its defeat,” said KCR.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal had held parleys with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata over the same issue. In both meetings, Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab CM and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann.

Speaking after KCR, Kejriwal said that PM Modi is disrespecting the apex court verdict while also insulting the Delhi public with the ordinance.

“Non-BJP governments are not being allowed to function properly. Either MLAs are bought or CBI, ED, IT raids are carried out to frighten and pull down the governments. Or else, ordinances are brought out like this ...” said Kejriwal adding that his nationwide tour “is for the well-being of our democracy.”

“Out of 238 Rajya Sabha MPs, BJP has only 93 MPs. If all non-BJP parties can unite, we can defeat the ordinance bill in Rajya Sabha. The bill's defeat will give confidence to everyone that Modi can be defeated in 2024. The bill can be a semi-final to the 2024 elections,” said Kejriwal.

KCR, Kejriwal and Mann are among the opposition party chief ministers who skipped the NITI Ayog's governing council meeting chaired by Modi in New Delhi on Saturday.