Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been engaging with other opposition leaders to forge a united front against the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On Sunday, he met with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal amidst an ongoing disagreement with the central government over control of services in the national capital. Kumar criticized the conduct of the BJP-led Union government, describing the introduction of an ordinance as “against the Constitution.” He expressed his intent to unite all opposition parties in the country.
Kumar emphasized the importance of preserving the powers granted to an elected government, stating that their removal would be unconstitutional. “We stand with Arvind Kejriwal. We are trying to bring together all opposition parties in the country,” he said, according to ANI. Kejriwal, speaking to the media after the meeting, mentioned that Nitish Kumar expressed his support for the people of Delhi in light of the Centre’s attempt to overturn a Supreme Court order through an ordinance. Kejriwal suggested that if all non-BJP parties unite, they could defeat the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, sending a message that the BJP government could be ousted in 2024.
The meeting took place at CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, with Nitish Kumar accompanied by his deputy Tejashwi Yadav.
This development follows the Centre’s move on Saturday to seek a review from the Supreme Court regarding a May 11 Constitution bench judgment that recognized the Delhi government’s legislative and executive power over services in the national capital, as reported by ANI. Additionally, the Centre recently introduced an ordinance to establish a National Capital Civil Service Authority, granting it the authority to recommend transfers and postings of all Group A officers and officers of DANICS serving in Delhi.
On Friday, the Centre introduced an ordinance designating the Lieutenant Governor as the final decision-maker in this matter. The establishment of a ‘National Capital Service Authority’ through the ordinance allows for recommendations to be made to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor on transfer postings, vigilance, and related matters.
