Uddhav Assures Support To Kejriwal On Delhi Services Row

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai on Wednesday to seek support for the AAP's fight against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi.

He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha members Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, as well as Delhi minister Atishi.

Uddhav is said to have assured support to Kejriwal in the parliament over the ordinance brought in by the Centre on the transfers and postings of bureaucrats in the national capital.

"We all have come together to save the country and democracy. I think we should not be called opposition parties in fact Centre should be called opposition since they are against Democracy and Constitution," said Uddhav while addressing a joint press conference.

Kejriwal, the AAP's national convener, will also meet Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar to seek his support against the Centre's ordinance.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata as part of their nationwide tour to garner support for the AAP's fight against the Centre's ordinance.

The Centre on Friday promulgated an ordinance to create an authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, with the AAP government calling the move a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services.

The ordinance, which comes a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government, seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.