Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his team on Tuesday met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and launched a campaign to seek her support against the Centre’s controversial ordinance on transfers and postings of bureaucrats. Kejriwal was accompanied by several party colleagues like Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Raghav Chadha, Atishi and Sanjay Singh.
video | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee welcomed her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal as he along with other AAP leaders reached the state secretariat in West Bengal’s Nabanna. pic.twitter.com/sNpS9LKXFS– Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 23, 2023
The meeting lasted for more than half an hour. Later, Mamata Banerjee urged all parties to support AAP and vote against the bill based on this ordinance when it is introduced in the Rajya Sabha. He also talked about a “miracle”, saying that if the bill is defeated in the Upper House, the government may not last another six months.
We will support you in your fight against the central ordinance. I am requesting all parties… I have a humble appeal to all, even BJP members, to vote for non-BJP parties.’
The Center on Friday issued an ordinance to create the National Capital Civil Services Authority to decide on postings and transfers of bureaucrats and to be the final arbiter on such matters. It effectively took away the executive and legislative power of the elected Delhi government on services delivered by a five-judge constitution bench after an eight-year-long battle with the Centre.
Congress question
Arvind Kejriwal did not say whether he wanted Congress’s support in this matter or not. He said, “I am thankful to Didi (Mamata) that she said that she will support us in the Rajya Sabha. We will win the semi-finals. This government at the center is undemocratic. They either try to bring down the opposition governments by buying MLAs or by using ED and CBI intimidation. This ordinance vote will be a semi-final and we have to win.”
Kejriwal and his team will now leave for Maharashtra. Analysts said how the opposition reacts to the central government’s move in the Rajya Sabha will be a litmus test ahead of the 2024 general elections. He said that the role of Congress will be important in this. Congress and AAP have a strained relationship.
Though the AAP-TMC meeting was meant to seek support against the Centre’s ordinance, sources say the opposition’s strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls was discussed.
Sources say Mamta and other non-BJP chief ministers will be in Delhi on May 26 and there may be another meeting of the opposition.
Opposition unity efforts
Several prominent opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal are trying to work out a formula to jointly take on the BJP in next year’s elections.
Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, HD Kumaraswamy of Janata Dal (Secular), Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal (United) and Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal have met Mamata Banerjee in the recent past. The TMC chief has proposed that whichever party is strong in any Lok Sabha seat, it should field a candidate supported by other opposition parties to defeat the BJP there.
Mamta has been vocal about opposition unity since 2016. A major rally of opposition leaders was held in Kolkata in 2019, but the BJP won the parliamentary elections that year. TMC general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, ‘Mamata Banerjee’s theory is clear: whoever is strong in any field should fight with the BJP. We are ready to support Congress on 200 seats but they will also have to support us. They will also have to give space to regional parties. He has to give space to Akhilesh in UP.”
This time Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also met prominent opposition leaders like Mamta Banerjee and Sharad Pawar. Nitish also met the Congress and there is a plan to hold a meeting of the opposition soon. Analysts say that Nitish is now in sync with all the camps. The plan to field a joint candidate against the BJP has also come to the fore in all the seats of the opposition.
Kejriwal has also talked about opposition unity but his equation with the Congress is stuck.
Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar has also reached out to all opposition leaders from Congress to Mamta.
Observers say the equation between Mamata, Kejriwal and the Congress is crucial for the 2024 contest.
Speculations are also rife on who could be the face of the opposition against Narendra Modi.
Talking to News18, political strategist Prashant Kishor had said a few days ago that there would be no threat to the BJP due to meetings in the opposition camp. He said that a narrative should emerge, which would counter the Modi narrative.