Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 25 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday to seek the party's support in Rajya Sabha against the Centre's ordinance on control of administrative services in the national capital, said that the defeat of the Bill in the Upper House will be the testimony of opposition unity.
Kejriwal said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party fails to pass the Bill in Rajya Sabha, it will imply that the "Narendra Modi government will not be able to return to power at the Centre after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls."
"Sharad Pawar ji has assured us that NCP will support us in defeating the Bill in Rajya Sabha. We are trying to gather support from all non-BJP parties against the Centre's ordinance on control of administrative services in the national capital," Kejriwal said at a joint press conference with Pawar.
He thanked Pawar for his assurance to support the AAP in the Upper House and said that it is a fight for the "federal structure" of the country.
"I thank Sharad Pawar that he has assured his support that when the Bill comes to Rajya Sabha, they will not let the Bill pass in the House. If all non-BJP parties come together in Rajya Sabha, this Bill can be failed. This is not a fight for Delhi, it is a fight for the federal structure," he said.
"If the BJP is not able to pass the Bill in Rajya Sabha, then one should consider it a semi-final of 2024. The message will be that the Modi government is not returning in 2024," the Delhi Chief Minister added.
When asked if he will meet Congress leadership in connection with the matter to seek their support, Kejriwal said that he will seek time from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to meet them on the issue.
Sharad Pawar assured his party's support to AAP on the matter and said that talks will be held with other leaders to support Delhi Chief Minister in his effort.
"There is a crisis in the country and it's not an issue limited to Delhi. NCP and the people of Maharashtra will support Kejriwal. We will also talk to other leaders to support Kejriwal. We must focus on bringing all non-BJP parties together," Pawar said.
The Delhi Chief Minister on Tuesday embarked on a nationwide tour to seek support from the Opposition parties against the ordinance brought by the central government on the transfers and postings of bureaucrats in the national capital.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor accused the Centre of "taking away the rights" of the people of Delhi and said that the ordinance "should not" be allowed to pass in Rajya Sabha.
This comes after the Union Government on May 19 brought an ordinance to notify rules for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) regarding the 'transfer posting, vigilance and other incidental matters'.
The ordinance was brought to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and it circumvents the Supreme Court judgement in the Centre vs Delhi case.
Earlier, CM Kejriwal met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Tuesday and sought her support against the ordinance.
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