Delhi L-G resigns: An end to Kejriwal's 'Jung'?

In an unexpected move, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung submitted his resignation on Thursday to the Union government.

Jung's sudden resignation surprised everyone including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with whom he had so many bitter fights on various issues.

Here are some of the events when confrontation between Jung and Kejriwal-led Delhi government broke out.

Lokpal Bill

The acrimony started during Aam Aadmi Party's 49-day-stint spread across 2013-14 as the dispensation had clashed with Jung over his objection to the tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi assembly. The party also referred to Jung's stint with business house Reliance to caste aspersions on his decisions.

War over appointments

Appointments and transfers of bureaucrats had always been a contentious issue between the L-G and the Delhi government. Appointment of acting chief secretary, chiefs of anti-corruption bureau and Delhi commission of women and many others saw heated arguments between Jung and the Kejriwal-led AAP government.

Tussle over who's the boss of Delhi

The Delhi government and the L-G had been in a bitter fight over administrative powers ever since the AAP took over. Initially, Kejriwal had issued directions to ministers and senior officials of the Delhi government not to send files pertaining to police, public order and land to Jung's office. However, Jung showed the rule books, emphasising his authority.

Unable to gain clarity over his rights, Kejriwal approached the Delhi high court. But, the court ruled against Kejriwal, saying that administrative primacy rested with the office of the LG. Later, the AAP government moved the Supreme Court, where the matter is yet to be decided.

Demand for full statehood to Delhi

The AAP government persisted with its demand for full statehood for the national capital. The government had also unveiled a draft bill, seeking to take control of departments like police and land records. However, this didn’t go quite well with the Centre and Jung.  

Jung a 'BJP agent'

The AAP government always accused the LG of being a puppet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The AAP had accused Jung of acting at the behest of the Modi government, once calling him a ‘BJP agent’. Kerjiwal even taunted him, saying notwithstanding the “obstacles” put by him at the “behest” of the PM, he will never be made the vice president of India.

The DDCA controversy

A fresh round of confrontation started in December 2015 once Jung, in his communication to the ministry of home affairs, questioned the legality of a Commission of Inquiry set up to probe alleged irregularities in Delhi and District Cricket Association, an issue over which the AAP was training its guns on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, demanding his resignation. The Kejriwal government was quick to call it “unjustified interference” and an attempt to block the government’s probe into “corruption.”

With inputs from agencies