‘Kejriwal just wants to escape prison’: Congress reminds Delhi CM he had supported BJP on Article 370

In addition to putting the transfer and posting of civil servants beyond the exclusive remit of the elected government, the ordinance also gives the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi more teeth with regard to its administration.

Reacting to the AAP’s statement which asked it to make clear whether it stood with the people of the country or the Narendra Modi government, Delhi Congress leaders sought to argue that the party’s insistence on securing a commitment on the Delhi ordinance was “a desperate bid to survive”.

“Is there still any doubt who has joined BJP?” senior Delhi Congress leader Ajay Maken asked, sharing a screenshot of Kejriwal’s tweet stating that he supported the BJP-led Centre’s decision regarding the abrogation of Article 370.

“We support the govt on its decisions on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state,” the tweet published by the AAP convenor on August 5, 2019, stated.

“The AAP, which has only 1 Lok Sabha member out of 542, also wants support from the Congress and Kejriwal ji is saying bad things about its leaders as well? Is this the way to ask for support? Kejriwal ji is doing all this to avoid going to jail…But when corruption has been committed, then the punishment has to be meted out, this is the rule of law!” Maken said.

Former Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit of the Congress asked when was the last time Kejriwal spoke of Opposition unity and alleged that the Delhi chief minister was seeking to leave no stone unturned to get a step up in regards to the capital’s administration so he could “avoid going to jail”.

“When was the last time – if all – that AAP talked of Opposition unity? When they were contesting elections (against the Congress) in Goa, Gujarat and Uttarakhand? Kejriwal is not fighting for the sake of Opposition unity but to keep himself out of jail by somehow getting hold of the services and vigilance departments,” Dikshit alleged.