Centre stalling Delhi governmentt's activities: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Centre of delaying the clearance of two legislators to be inducted as ministers in the AAP government, which is “stalling” the city government functioning. Mr Kejriwal termed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s move as “political vendetta.” The deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, also amounted it to the violation of the Constitution and accused the Centre of “paralysing” the Delhi government.

Mr Kejriwal said that the people of Delhi should not suffer due to the BJP-led Centre’s “enmity” with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

“The Centre is sitting on the files for the last ten days. Many Delhi government activities are stalled due to this. Your enmity is against us, don’t take revenge from the people of Delhi,” the Delhi chief minister tweeted. Addressing a press conference on the issue, Mr Sisodia said that it is the chief minister’s prerogative to induct elected persons in his Cabinet.

He further said it is very “surprising” that the Central government is not approving the files. He said the Delhi government had, on May 6, sent the files relating to the induction of two AAP MLAs — Rajender Pal Gautam and Kailash Gehlot — in the Delhi Cabinet, but the Centre is yet to clear the same.

“I want to know why the Centre is trying to paralyse the Delhi government by violating the Constitution. Why are they doing this?  What is the Constitutional point that the Centre has been considering for the last 10 days?” Mr Sisodia asked.

He said that in the last 25 years, the Centre has not held back such files pertaining to the appointment of ministers. The deputy CM also said that there is presently water crisis in Delhi and in this situation, the appointment of water minister should be made at the earliest.