The Congress on Sunday said it won't support the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress announced on Sunday that it won't back the Center's ordinance on control of services in the national capital, providing a significant boost for the Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.
"I believe the AAP will attend the meeting tomorrow. Our position is crystal clear with regard to the ordinance (on control of services in Delhi). Regarding the Opposition's gathering that is slated to take place in Bengaluru on Monday, Congress national secretary KC Venugopal told news agency PTI, "We are not going to endorse it.
The Modi administration's "assaults" on democratically elected state governments' constitutional rights and obligations have long been resisted by the Congress, which declared on Saturday that it would continue to do so both inside and outside of Parliament.
Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha member for the AAP, welcomed the Congress decision and stated, "Congress announces its unequivocal opposition to the Delhi Ordinance."
Kejriwal told reporters earlier on Sunday that he won't be able to answer until after the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting in response to a question about whether the AAP would attend the opposition meeting in Bengaluru.
Without specifically addressing the Delhi ordinance problem, the Congress's declaration comes amid its ongoing dispute with the AAP, which has requested that the party clarify its position in order to allow it to join the Bengaluru conference of opposition parties and other similar prospective conclaves.
"Exactly what the Congress President had conveyed & committed to the AAP leadership when we met in Patna," tweeted Omar Abdullah, who represents the National Congress in the Opposition Unity. The Congress was clear about where they stood on the Ordinance.
The top leadership of the Congress met with its parliamentary strategy group to examine the topics that would be brought up during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which would start on July 20.
Centre promulgated Govt of NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 was published by the Centre on May 19 in order to provide a procedure for the posting and transfer of Group-A officers in Delhi.
The Supreme Court's ruling on service control has been described as a "deception" by the AAP administration.
Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, was asked if the ordinance issue had been discussed in the parliamentary strategy group meeting and whether the party would oppose the bill pertaining to it in Parliament. Ramesh responded that the party has always fought against the Modi government's "assaults" on the constitutional rights and responsibilities of democratically elected state governments and local bodies.
"This assault is direct and originates with the governors and other government appointees. There is no doubt about whether we won't continue to reject it. Congress has fought this in Parliament.
Assaults come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Constitutional bodies are underutilized and neglected, and constitutional agencies are diminished.The national commission on scheduled tribes had made it clear to the Modi government that they were against the rules of forest conservation since they were against the tribes, but they were ignored, the speaker added.
"We will oppose it in Parliament and outside of Parliament," he continued.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Ramesh were among those present for the Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group meeting, which was presided over by Sonia Gandhi, head of the parliamentary party.
Monday's opposition gathering in Bengaluru
Ramesh responded, "As far as I know, the Aam Aadmi Party is one of the 24, coming to Bengaluru," when asked if the AAP was one of the 24 parties that would be present at the meeting.
At the second unity meeting that the Congress is calling next week in Bengaluru, additional parties are expected to join the opposition coalition to challenge the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections.
The meeting on June 17 and 18 has invited the leaders of 24 non-BJP parties; 15 parties attended the meeting's inaugural iteration.
The opposition parties agreed to oppose the BJP together in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at their first meeting, which took place in Patna last month. However, there were also cracks, with the AAP claiming that it would be difficult for it to participate in any future gatherings until the Congress publicly backed it on the matter of the ordinance.
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