AAP, Congress at loggerheads over services ordinance issue

While Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has sought the Opposition’s support for his fight against the Centre’s ordinance on services, the party and Congress have been at loggerheads over the issue.

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While Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has sought the Opposition’s support for his fight against the Centre’s ordinance on services, the party and Congress have been at loggerheads over the issue.

Following statements by senior Congress leaders, including Ajay Maken, that the Delhi government should not be supported on the services issue, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Wednesday said, “Ajay Maken has been rejoicing over their Karnataka victory but he should remember that the Centre can bring a similar ordinance in Karnataka. What will they [Congress] do then?”

In response, Mr. Maken said Delhi is different from other States as it is governed by the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCTD) Act and asked AAP to stop “fooling the public”.

The Congress leader said the governments in Delhi have never been given the authority over the transfers and postings of bureaucrats, as everyone from B.R. Ambedkar to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided against it.

“So, why expect it now?” Moreover, the city is not referred to as ‘Delhi’ but the ‘National Capital Territory of Delhi’ in the Constitution, he added.

The ordinance promulgated by the Centre on May 19 effectively reverses the Supreme Court’s May 11 judgment on the issue of services, which gave the elected regime the power to wield control over the Delhi government officials.