Kejriwal to take fight with LG to president

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday during which he will take up issues like appointments of bureaucrats and other "unilateral actions" by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

Kejriwal's office said the meeting will take place at 6 pm on Tuesday.

On Saturday, the chief minister had sought an appointment with Mukherjee following his bitter face-off with Jung over the appointment of Power Secretary Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary of Delhi.

Sources said Kejriwal will take up with Mukherjee "all unilateral decisions" taken by the Lt Governor "ignoring" the views of the elected government including transfer and posting of bureaucrats and his directive to route key files through his office. They said Kejriwal will discuss the role and jurisdiction of the LG's office.

The confrontation over appointment of Gamlin as acting chief secretary had turned into a full-blown war between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Jung last week with Kejriwal alleging that the LG was trying to take over the administration.

Despite Kejriwal's strong opposition, Jung had appointed Gamlin to the post on Friday. On Saturday, the chief minister had asked her not to take charge of the post but she ignored his directive and followed the LG's order.

Image: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday evening