New Delhi: To mark 100 days of being in power, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his ministers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will hold a public meeting at Connaught Place in Delhi on Monday. He is likely to highlight the achievements of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi in the last 100 days in an interactive session with the residents of the capital at Central Park.
The Delhi CM is also likely to speak on the tussle with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over the appointment of bureaucrats. While the party has been granted permission by the NDMC for the meeting, it is yet to approach the Delhi Police.
The AAP swept to power winning 67 out of 70 seats in February. A senior party leader said the government had fulfilled most of its promises and was dedicated to public welfare. "We have delivered our promises. Water problem has been solved. The anti-corruption helpline is in place to check corruption. Party MLAs are reaching out to the people and solving their problems. We will tell the people about the work the government is doing," he said.
The meeting has been called a day ahead of a special state assembly session where AAP government is expected to pass a resolution terming the notification issued by the Home Ministry backing the L-G as unconstitutional.
Kejriwal has the backing of two eminent lawyers calling Centre's notification giving absolute powers to Delhi L-G in appointment of bureaucrats and on subjects like police and public order "unconstitutional" and "illegal".
Constitutional expert KK Venugopal and former Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium questioned the very foundation of the gazette notification issued by the Home Ministry and wondered whether it has requisite approval of the President. They said that the Chief Minister's authority cannot be undermined.
The appointment of senior bureaucrat Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by L-G last week had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and the L-G, with Kejriwal questioning Jung's authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.
In the notification, the Home Ministry said that the L-G will have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public order, police and land and he may consult with the chief minister whenever he thinks necessary in issues of services using his own "discretion". Kejriwal has accused the Centre of "back-stabbing" the people of the city by "siding" with the L-G and protecting the corrupt.
Meanwhile, AAP is intensifying its demand for full statehood for Delhi. AAP leaders slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for going back on the promise made to voters. "Modiji promised to give Delhi statehood and failed to do so. Today Arun Jaitley ji is saying that it needs national consensus. I think the Central government is interpreting on its own. If they want to do it than let them change the Constitution," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.
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