New Delhi:Â To mark 100 days of power, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his ministers of the 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.
The AAP swept to power winning 67 out of 70 seats in February. The government completes 100 days on Monday.
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 they may are expected to pass a resolution terming the notification issued by the Home Ministry backing the L-G as unconstitutional. While they have been granted permission by the NDMC for the meeting, it is yet to approach the Delhi Police.
Kejriwal is getting backing from the legal fraternity with two eminent lawyers calling Centre’s notification giving absolute powers to Delhi Lt Governor in appointment of bureaucrats and on subjects like police and public order “unconstitutional” and “illegal”.
Constitutional expert K K 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 LG last week had triggered a full-blown war between the ruling AAP and the Lt Governor, with Kejriwal questioning the LG’s authority and accusing him of trying to take over the administration.
In the notification, the Home Ministry said that the LG 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 Lt Governor and protecting the corrupt.
Meanwhile, AAP is intensifying its demand for full statehood for Delhi. They 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. Arun Jaitley ji is saying that it needs national consensus. I think the Central government is interpreting on their own. If they want to do it than let them change the Constitution,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.