The chief ministers’ conclave organised by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday was ostensibly called to discuss cooperative federalism. But the real purpose of this gathering was to send out a message to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government that Kejriwal could rally around leaders from other political parties to pin down the Centre.
Unfortunately for Kejriwal, his grand plans came undone. Except for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, none of the other leaders turned up for the meeting. Kejriwal may have drawn some solace from the letters of support he received from the chief ministers of Bihar, Mizoram and Puducherry though they expressed their inability to attend the conclave due to other pressing engagements.
Even the two chief ministers who did make it for the conclave made sure they were not seen together. Given the bitter rivalry between their respective parties, Sarkar did not share the dais with Banerjee but left after meeting Kejriwal separately.
Kejriwal and the Modi government have been locked in a running battle ever since the Aam Admi Party successfully foiled the BJP’s plans to form a government in Delhi.
Sending out a warning
Unable to reconcile to its humiliating defeat in Delhi after a run of poll victories at the Centre and in the states, the BJP wants to make it difficult for the Kejriwal government to govern and deliver on its promises.
There have been innumerable confrontations between the Centre’s nominee Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung over official appointments and policy decisions. In fact, Kejriwal even instructed Delhi government officers not to follow orders from Jung without consulting him first and the Lt Governor accused him of pursuing the BJP’s agenda .
Held against the backdrop of this turf war, the conclave called by Kejriwal was meant to rattle the BJP with the gathering of a galaxy of chief ministers who all have grievances with the Centre. “Kejriwal’s objective was to send out a message to the Modi government that he is not alone in his battle against the Centre and that he has the support of other chief ministers who also have concerns regarding Centre-state relations,” explained a senior AAP leader.
Limited success
His attempt to carve out a niche for himself on the national political stage by becoming a rallying force for all non-Congress and non-BJP parties met with limited success. The fact that Mamata Banerjee especially flew down to the Capital for the conclave must have been quite heartening for the Delhi chief minister, who nurses ambitions of emerging as a national leader. The Left parties have also held out an invitation to Kejriwal to join forces with them in their fight against the Centre’s high-handed attitude towards the states.
Although Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the conclave, he did call on Kejriwal on his last trip to Delhi in July. After this, Kejriwal travelled to Patna at Nitish Kumar’s invitation. A number of other chief ministers also make it a point to call on Kejriwal when they visit the Capital, indicating that they recognise that the Delhi chief minister has the potential to graduate to the national level.
If Kejriwal believes that the chief ministers’ meeting could pave the way for the formation of a new political grouping, it is highly unlikely, given the internal contradictions in this grouping. This was evident on Monday when the Tripura chief minister from the CPM did not want to be seen with Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is battling it out with the Left parties in West Bengal.
Obvious divisions
Similarly, Kejriwal stayed away from a tea party organised at Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar’s residence in August when several opposition leaders,including Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party president Mulayum Singh Yadav, had attempted to form a non-BJP, non-Congress front. Kejriwal had attacked Pawar when he was leading his anti-corruption campaign two years ago and demanded an SIT probe against him. Given this history, it was difficult for the AAP leader to share a stage with Pawar.
Kejriwal has publicly denied that the conclave was meant to pave the way for the formation of an alternative front but he has not given up on this idea. “If the Centre’s attitude remains like this, then in future more chief ministers will come out in the open and join hands,” he declared at the conclave. For the record, the Wednesday meeting was called to discuss the hurdles in Centre-state coordination and the "step-motherly treatment" meted out by the Modi government to non-BJP states.
Although the attendance at the chief ministers’ meeting was minimal, those present used the forum to attack the NDA government for deviating from the stated path of cooperative federalism. While Kejriwal accused the NDA government of using the governor or LG’s office to intervene in states, Mamata Banerjee also spoke in the same vein.
Unfortunately for Kejriwal, his grand plans came undone. Except for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, none of the other leaders turned up for the meeting. Kejriwal may have drawn some solace from the letters of support he received from the chief ministers of Bihar, Mizoram and Puducherry though they expressed their inability to attend the conclave due to other pressing engagements.
Even the two chief ministers who did make it for the conclave made sure they were not seen together. Given the bitter rivalry between their respective parties, Sarkar did not share the dais with Banerjee but left after meeting Kejriwal separately.
Kejriwal and the Modi government have been locked in a running battle ever since the Aam Admi Party successfully foiled the BJP’s plans to form a government in Delhi.
Sending out a warning
Unable to reconcile to its humiliating defeat in Delhi after a run of poll victories at the Centre and in the states, the BJP wants to make it difficult for the Kejriwal government to govern and deliver on its promises.
There have been innumerable confrontations between the Centre’s nominee Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung over official appointments and policy decisions. In fact, Kejriwal even instructed Delhi government officers not to follow orders from Jung without consulting him first and the Lt Governor accused him of pursuing the BJP’s agenda .
Held against the backdrop of this turf war, the conclave called by Kejriwal was meant to rattle the BJP with the gathering of a galaxy of chief ministers who all have grievances with the Centre. “Kejriwal’s objective was to send out a message to the Modi government that he is not alone in his battle against the Centre and that he has the support of other chief ministers who also have concerns regarding Centre-state relations,” explained a senior AAP leader.
Limited success
His attempt to carve out a niche for himself on the national political stage by becoming a rallying force for all non-Congress and non-BJP parties met with limited success. The fact that Mamata Banerjee especially flew down to the Capital for the conclave must have been quite heartening for the Delhi chief minister, who nurses ambitions of emerging as a national leader. The Left parties have also held out an invitation to Kejriwal to join forces with them in their fight against the Centre’s high-handed attitude towards the states.
Although Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the conclave, he did call on Kejriwal on his last trip to Delhi in July. After this, Kejriwal travelled to Patna at Nitish Kumar’s invitation. A number of other chief ministers also make it a point to call on Kejriwal when they visit the Capital, indicating that they recognise that the Delhi chief minister has the potential to graduate to the national level.
If Kejriwal believes that the chief ministers’ meeting could pave the way for the formation of a new political grouping, it is highly unlikely, given the internal contradictions in this grouping. This was evident on Monday when the Tripura chief minister from the CPM did not want to be seen with Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is battling it out with the Left parties in West Bengal.
Obvious divisions
Similarly, Kejriwal stayed away from a tea party organised at Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar’s residence in August when several opposition leaders,including Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party president Mulayum Singh Yadav, had attempted to form a non-BJP, non-Congress front. Kejriwal had attacked Pawar when he was leading his anti-corruption campaign two years ago and demanded an SIT probe against him. Given this history, it was difficult for the AAP leader to share a stage with Pawar.
Kejriwal has publicly denied that the conclave was meant to pave the way for the formation of an alternative front but he has not given up on this idea. “If the Centre’s attitude remains like this, then in future more chief ministers will come out in the open and join hands,” he declared at the conclave. For the record, the Wednesday meeting was called to discuss the hurdles in Centre-state coordination and the "step-motherly treatment" meted out by the Modi government to non-BJP states.
Although the attendance at the chief ministers’ meeting was minimal, those present used the forum to attack the NDA government for deviating from the stated path of cooperative federalism. While Kejriwal accused the NDA government of using the governor or LG’s office to intervene in states, Mamata Banerjee also spoke in the same vein.
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