Delhi's AAP government today took its confrontation with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to a step further by defiantly telling him that his "unconstitutional" orders regarding appointment of key bureaucrats will not be complied with.
In a letter to Jung, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the whole issue by writing a letter. Significantly, Kejriwal is also scheduled to meet President Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.
"Your directions are against the provisions of law and the Constitution and, therefore, cannot be complied... The Chief Minister is writing a letter to the Prime Minister on the issue," Sisodia said in the letter.
His letter came hours after Jung rejected the appointment of Rajendra Kumar as Principal Secretary of Services Department in place Anindo Majumdar whose office was locked this morning at the instructions of Kejriwal. Majumdar was removed on Saturday but was reinstated by the LG.
Immediately after Kumar was appointed by Kejriwal, Jung shot off a letter to the chief minister, declaring his posting "void" and categorically made it clear that he was the final authority for appointment and transfer of senior bureaucrats.
As the letter found way to the media, Sisodia tweeted "Strange that a Constitutional Authority leaking letters addressed to Dy CM before it is received. Is it allowed under Constitution of India?"
Kejriwal's office said he will meet Mukherjee tomorrow around 6 PM during which he will take up issues like appointments of bureaucrats and other "unilateral actions" by the Lt Governor.
