Kejriwal carries AAP agenda to Oppn meeting: ‘Will be very hard to be part of coalition with Cong’

The standoff between the AAP and the Congress played out during and after the meeting of the 15 Opposition parties at Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar’s residence in Patna, which was convened to work out their common roadmap for taking on the Narendra Modi-led BJP dispensation in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

While the Congress was represented at this conclave by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, CM Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann were also present at the meet.

In the course of the meeting, the AAP leaders were said to have raked up the Congress’s non-committal stance on the Delhi ordinance so far.

Kharge, it is learnt, then conveyed his strong displeasure to Kejriwal over an AAP spokesperson’s charge in Delhi – which apparently came even as the meeting was underway in Patna – that there was allegedly an agreement between the BJP and the Congress on the ordinance and that the latter would walk out when the Bill will be put to vote in the Rajya Sabha in Parliament’s upcoming session.

This led to an exchange of words between Kharge and Kejriwal, prompting West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to intervene and play the role of a referee. Sources said she told Kejriwal that he should calm down since the Congress has made it clear that it will take a stand on the issue before the commencement of the Parliament session. Most of the leaders sided with the Congress suggesting that let the party go through its internal procedures and not be forced to take a stand in the meeting.

आज पटना पहुँचकर दसवें पातशाह श्री गुरू गोबिन्द सिंह जी के जन्म स्थान तख्त श्री पटना साहिब जी में गुरू साहिब जी के चरणों में मत्था टेका एवं देश और सरबत के भले के लिए अरदास की।

गुरुद्वारा कमेटी एवं संगत से मिले मान-सम्मान के लिए बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद। pic.twitter.com/CDrMzOSmLw

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 22, 2023

Sources said Banerjee at one point asked the leaders of the Congress and the AAP to sit and resolve their differences over tea and biscuits.

Kharge reportedly said the support on the ordinance issue could not be put as a precondition for an alliance to fight the BJP and cited the AAP’s several “provocative statements” targeting his party.

Kejriwal did not attend a joint press conference addressed by the Opposition leaders following their meeting. However, while the press event was underway, the AAP issued a statement, saying the Congress’s silence on the ordinance “raised suspicions about its real intentions”. It said except for the Congress, all other 11 parties, which have representation in the Rajya Sabha, have expressed their stand against the ordinance and announced that they would oppose it in the Upper House.

“The Congress, a national party that takes a stand on almost all issues, has yet to make its position on the Black Ordinance public. However, the Congress’ Delhi and Punjab units have announced that the party should support the Modi government on this issue. Today, during the like-minded party meeting in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the Black Ordinance. However, the Congress refused to do so,” the AAP charged.

“Congress’ silence raises suspicions about its real intentions. In personal discussions, senior Congress leaders have hinted that their party might informally or formally abstain from voting on it in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress’ abstention from voting on this issue will help the BJP immensely in furthering its attack on Indian democracy… Congress’ hesitation and refusal to act as a team player, especially on an issue as important as this one, would make it very difficult for the AAP to be a part of any alliance that includes Congress,” the AAP statement said.

“Until the Congress publicly denounces the Black Ordinance and declares that all 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded parties where the Congress is a participant. It’s high time that Congress decides whether it stands with the people of Delhi or the Modi government,” the Kejriwal-led party added.

Reacting to the AAP’s statement, Delhi Congress leaders sought to argue that the former’s insistence on securing a commitment from their party over the Centre’s ordinance was “a desperate bid to survive on part of Kejriwal”.

Congress sources also alleged that the AAP was “acting as per the BJP’s directions” to throw a spanner in the Opposition parties’ efforts to forge a common front against the BJP in the 2024 elections.

“The Congress’ Delhi and Punjab units have already made something amply clear when it comes to the question of an alliance with the AAP – over their dead bodies. He (Kejriwal) is seeking consensus on the ordinance to project himself as a larger figure in national politics than he actually is,” Congress leader and ex-Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit said.

“Not only is the AAP not required as far as larger Opposition unity is concerned, what also needs to be asked especially now is when was the last time – if at all – that it talked of Opposition unity? When they were contesting elections (against the Congress) in Goa, Gujarat and Uttarakhand? He (Kejriwal) is not fighting for the sake of Opposition unity but to keep himself out of jail,” Dikshit charged.