Will go to PM if LG doesn’t give us a hearing: 4 CMs on Kejriwal’s protest

New Delhi, June 16

Four non-BJP Chief Ministers, who were here to express solidarity with their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, on Saturday said they will go to the Prime Minister if the Lieutenant-Governor does not give them a hearing. 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu held a meeting at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan before heading to Kejriwal's residence to meet his family. 

They discussed a strategy to provide support to protesting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who wants IAS officers to end their "non-cooperation" with his government.

They met shortly after Delhi's Lt. Governor Anil Baijal declined permission to Banerjee to meet Kejriwal. She had planned to go to the protest site - Lt-Governor's residential office -- along with Naidu. 

Informed sources said the four Chief Ministers were planning a strategy on how to strengthen Kejriwal's hands.

On denial of permission by the Lt Governor, Kejriwal tweeted: "I don't think LG can take such a decision on his own. Obviously, PMO has directed him to refuse permission. Just like IAS strike is being done at PMO's instance.

"We live in a democracy. Can PM deny CMs of other states to meet CM of another state? Raj Niwas is no one's personal property. It belongs to the people of India." Delhi's Lt. Governor Baijal earlier denied permission to Banerjee for meeting her Delhi counterpart who is on a protest at the Lt Governor's office-cum-residence, Raj Niwas.

"Permission denied by LG. Extremely sad state of affairs," Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha tweeted. 

Kejriwal followed it up with: "This is getting more and more bizarre..."

Minutes before Chadha had tweeted: "West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asks LG to let her meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal this evening at 8 p.m."

Kejriwal, along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Cabinet ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai, is camping at Raj Niwas since Monday demanding a direction to the IAS officers working in the Delhi administration to end their undeclared strike.

He also wants the central government to approve his government's proposal to deliver ration to the poor at their houses.

Highlights of 4 CMs' media address: 

— "This is not democracy."

— "This has never happened before. We'll tell the prime minister it is his duty to resolve this."

— "If Lt Guv doesn't give us a hearing, we'll go to the PM."

— "No matter which party a chief minister is from, if he faces this kind of issue, we will stand with him." 

— There are two crore people in Delhi. Work has been disrupted since 4 months, there can be nothing more unfortunate than this (sic). LG is the appointed leader, if not he then to whom will one to go to seek time & talk?: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Delhi

— "We wrote a letter to Lt Guv, he denied us permission. We asked him for an appointment, but we were told that he (LG) is not even there. We waited here for three hours."   

— A chief minister has been sitting in protest for six days. If he's ignored like this, what will happen to democracy. I'm sorry to see the situation: Mamata Banerjee

— The issue should have been resolved by working together. This is a constitutional crisis, and people are suffering: Mamata Banerjee

— Threat to federalism. We express out solidarity with Kejriwal: Pinarayi Vijayan

— We are here to save democracy. Central government must take steps to resolve the proble: HDK

— We came here to express our support to Delhi CM. The LG has to allow this govt to function. Mamata Ji had asked permission from the LG to see the CM to which there was no response: Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu in Delhi

— Agencies