Akhilesh supports Kejriwal on ordinance issue

Lucknow, June 7 Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has assured full support to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the Centre's ordinance on control over administrative services in the national capital.

Arvind Kejriwal, accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Delhi minister Atishi and AAP MP Sanjay Singh, met Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Wednesday evening to seek his support.

Later talking to reporters, Kejriwal said that if non-BJP parties join hands, they can defeat the controversial ordinance in Rajya Sabha where they have an upper hand in numbers.

"If we can defeat the ordinance, it will send a strong message ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. I have spoken to Akhilesh Yadav and I thank him for extending his party's support to us on this issue," he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the Centre was using Governors to disturb elected non-BJP governments in states. "They are playing with democracy," he added.

Akhilesh Yadav said that the BJP was unnerved by the good work that the Kejriwal government was doing in Delhi and wanted to disturb it. "We will support AAP in Rajya Sabha," he added.

amita/uk/