Need to forget differences and move forward together: Kejriwal tells Rahul
Centre's Delhi ordinance
New Delhi, Jun 24: Amid confusion over the Congress' stance on the Centre's Delhi ordinance, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal told Rahul Gandhi to forget the differences and move forward together at the opposition meeting in Patna, AAP sources said on Saturday.
The sources also claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee intervened in the matter at the meeting and suggested that Gandhi and Kejriwal should sit together for lunch so that all the issues get addressed.
"Arvind Kejriwal spoke directly to Rahul Gandhi (on the ordinance matter) and said if there is any issue, they can resolve it over tea. In the opposition meeting on Friday, Kejriwal said there is a need to forget the differences and move forward together," a party source said.
Given the situation, he said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is yet to decide if it will attend the opposition parties' next meeting scheduled in Shimla.
The plan of action is expected to be formulated at another meeting to be chaired by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, tentatively on July 10 or 12, in Shimla.
Drawing the battle lines, opposition parties had on Friday resolved to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unitedly in 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the crucial meeting in Patna.
In a statement on Friday, the AAP had said that any alliance with the Congress would be very difficult after its war of words with the grand old party over the contentious Delhi ordinance issue.
At the opposition meet in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the "black ordinance", but the grand old party refused to do so which raises suspicions about its real intentions, the AAP had said in the statement soon after the meeting.
Sources in the AAP also claimed that at the end of the meeting, Kharge alleged that a spokesperson of AAP was making 'wrong' statements about the Congress.
"In response, our national convener Arvind Kejriwal clearly stated that Congress spokespersons had also made misleading statements against AAP. Having said that, there is a need to forget the differences and come together," the source added.
The source said Rahul Gandhi stressed that there was a process to discuss about the contentious Delhi ordinance.
"Kejriwal asked the Congress to specify the time for the next meeting, but the Congress leaders were non-responsive. All the top opposition leaders present during the meeting had urged the Congress to clarify its stand on the ordinance and fix a meeting to discuss the same," the source said.
The AAP source also said that party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal specified that his party had always stood by the Congress in the right matters.
"Even when Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha membership was cancelled, Kejriwal had opposed it. If Gandhi and the Congress are afraid to meet AAP leaders, forging of opposition unity is doubtful. We have been constantly asking for an appointment with the leadership, but the Congress has refused to budge," he said.
The AAP source also said that although the Kharge-led party has maintained that it has always raised its voice against any draconian law, but it has largely remained mum on the Delhi ordinance issue.
Although Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chaddh attended the opposition meeting, they remained conspicuous by their absence at the joint press conference held by the opposition parties later.
The BJP took a potshot at the absence of Kejriwal at the opposition parties' joint press conference in Patna and said the AAP's "blackmailing" at the beginning of the meeting itself showed the future of the "unholy alliance".
Kharge, however, said a decision on whether to oppose the Centre's ordinance on the control of administrative services in Delhi would be taken before the Parliament session and wondered why it was being talked about elsewhere when the matter pertained to Parliament.
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Mamata alleges BJP disrupted her Bhabanipur rally, Suvendu claims 'she's nervous'
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cut short her speech at a rally in her Bhabanipur constituency, alleging that the BJP was deliberately playing loud music from a nearby public meeting.
A peeved Banerjee said despite having the required permission of the Election Commission, her rally in Chakraberia was disrupted by the BJP, "who want to capture Bengal by intimidation and threat".
"It is not possible for me to go ahead with this meeting. If they can do such a thing in my constituency, imagine how undemocratic the BJP is. If they behave like this, I have to take legal action," she said.
"This is an insult, humiliation. BJP is stepping on our toes to instigate trouble. Not possible to address the gathering in this situation. I am leaving the stage. Please vote for me in your protest," she added.
Banerjee was then seen calling someone over and venting her grievances.
Before leaving the stage, she said, "I will hold a rally tomorrow at the same spot."
TMC supporters then rushed towards the BJP rally, which was later addressed by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, but security personnel intervened and prevented the situation from escalating.
TMC workers later staged a demonstration outside the local police station and filed a complaint, alleging that the BJP violated the model code of conduct.
A senior TMC leader said another complaint will also be lodged with the Election Commission.
Asked about Banerjee's allegations, Adhikari told reporters after the rally he held nearby, "Her reaction shows she is nervous about the imminent loss."
"There was no violence, no obstruction in her meeting and her behaviour shows her nervousness. On May 4, people of Bhabanipur will celebrate the victory of the BJP," he claimed, alleging that the TMC also tried to disrupt his meeting by playing loud music.
South Kolkata's Bhabanipur, one of the battleground seats in the West Bengal elections, will vote in the second phase on April 29.
