Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s equation with the L-G, the Delhi Police and bureaucrats sums up Delhi’s political scene under his rule.
But at the root of the escalating political tussle between the AAP and the BJP at the Centre is Delhi’s peculiar administrative status.
A democratically elected government in Delhi doesn’t have control over administrative appointments and civic agencies like the DDA and Municipal Corporations, and the police do not come under their direct control.
Its power is shared between the Centre and the Delhi government.
While the government has been able to deliver on their promises in education, health, power and water, the increasing public spats between the AAP government and the L-G (read the Centre) over control on the three subjects have left citizens in the middle of crossfire.
And every issue boils down to full statehood.
In May, the AAP government drafted the Full Statehood Bill and released it in public domain to get suggestions from people.
Once the suggestions are compiled, the Bill will be tabled and cleared in the Assembly. But with the Centre returning Delhi government’s previous 14 Bills, the AAP plans to hold a referendum if the Centre doesn’t grant Delhi full statehood.
“For Delhi to work full-statehood is very important,” said AAP leader, Raghav Chadha. “Referendum would be a reaffirmation of the demand of the people, which has been long pending.”
Not that full statehood was AAP’s original demand, the Congress and the BJP both had earlier demanded the same. But AAP leaders believe that the Congress and the BJP have come together to term it as unconstitutional whereas they have been in the forefront on this demand.
“They have decided to betray the people of Delhi,” party state convener Dilip Pandey said.
