The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to skip the Opposition meeting scheduled for July 17 and 18 in Bengaluru, party sources said, with the Congress refusing to comply with the condition laid out by the AAP to publicly declare support for its campaign against the ordinance amending the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi Act, 1991 that curtails State government’s powers over bureaucracy.
Senior AAP leaders told The Hindu that the party stands by its June 23 position. “We are yet to have a meeting to take a final call on whether to attend the next Opposition meeting or not. But without the Congress publicly supporting us on the ordinance, the chances of the party attending the next meeting are bleak,” a senior AAP leader said.
Just minutes after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders skipped the joint press briefing, the party released an official statement, saying it would be difficult for them to participate in future meetings. “Many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the black ordinance. However, the Congress refused to do so. Until the Congress publicly denounces the black ordinance and declares that all 31 of its RS [Rajya Sabha] 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,” an official statement from the AAP said.
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On May 19, the Centre issued an ordinance that seeks to amend the Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi Act, 1991 and effectively negates the May 11 Supreme Court judgment that gave the AAP government the power to make laws and wield control over bureaucrats deputed to the Delhi Government, except for public order, police, and land.
The Parliament session begins on July 20, two days after the Opposition meet in Bengaluru. “When the Bill comes to the floor of the House, we will vote against it. Our party president Mallikarjun Kharge told Mr. Kejriwal in front of the top leadership of 13 parties during the Patna meeting. They can’t dictate terms to us,” a senior Congress leader said.
Non-Congress Opposition leaders though are unfazed by the AAP’s likely absence, calling it a minor speed-breaker in a long distance marathon. The confusion, they said, will be sorted the day the Bill comes to Parliament. “In the run up to 2024 General Elections, all is well with the Opposition. The Bengaluru summit will be followed by more summits. We are taking one step at a time,” Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha parliamentary party leader Derek O’Brien said.
