Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a key ally of the Congress, on Thursday announced it will stand with the Aam Aadmi Party and oppose the Union Government’s Ordinance on control over administrative services in the national capital of Delhi in both Houses of Parliament.
DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, after receiving his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal at his residence here, also made an indirect appeal to the Congress to support AAP and oppose the Ordinance inside and outside Parliament.
“The DMK will oppose the ordinance. There shall be no doubt about this,” Stalin told the waiting media after a 30-minute discussion with Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other senior AAP leaders.
Stalin’s announcement is significant even as his senior ally, Congress, drags its feet over the issue. The DMK has 10 members in Rajya Sabha.
“I also appeal to all political parties, including the national parties who are with the Opposition, to oppose this bill…the BJP has been creating hurdles for the elected Delhi government,” he added.
Thanking Stalin for his support, Kejriwal egged on the Congress to stand behind him in the issue, projecting the voting on the Ordinance in Rajya Sabha as a “semi-final” for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"If the Bill is defeated in Rajya Sabha, a very strong message will go across the country that the entire Opposition has come together and maybe (in) 2024, (the) Modi government is not going to come back,” Kejriwal said.
The AAP convenor added that while the BJP enjoys majority in Lok Sabha, the same is not the case in Rajya Sabha where the ruling party has just 93 members out of 238. “This bill should be collectively defeated as it is anti-democratic and anti-Constitutional…I have received favourable responses from all leaders who I have met in the past two weeks,” Kejriwal added.
To a question, the Delhi Chief Minister said there was no reason for the Congress not to “support the Bill” and that he has sought appointments with Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. “I am very confident that Congress should support this. There is no reason why Congress will not support it because this is undemocratic. It is a federal structure,” he added.
Stalin said opposition parties should continue to engage with each other to put up a united fight against the BJP and indicated that a meeting of Opposition-ruled CMs called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may be postponed. “The Congress has indicated that they may not be able to join on June 12, and I also cannot join as I have to release water from Mettur Dam for the purpose of irrigation in Cauvery Delta. We are confident that the meeting will be rescheduled,” Stalin added.
Stalin has been asking Opposition parties to come together on a “single platform” to take on the BJP in the 2024 polls. He has also been speaking against the Third Front saying it was “pointless” and will never reach the shores.
With Kharge by his side on his 70th birthday celebrations, Stalin had strongly pitched for Congress as the fulcrum of the Opposition alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.