Four CMs throw weight behind Arvind Kejriwal as his sit-in at Delhi LG's office continues

New Delhi: Chief ministers of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala on Saturday rallied behind their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal. At the press conference at the Delhi CM's residence, Mamata Banerjee, N Chandrababu Naidu, HD Kumaraswamy and Pinarayi Vijayan asked the Centre to resolve the "crisis" immediately.

The press conference in support of Kejriwal by the four major regional players came a day after the Congress fielded former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Congress president to attack Kejriwal for his protest. The show of support to Kejriwal by Kumaraswamy, who heads a coalition government with the Congress in Karnataka, is at variance with the stand taken by the grand old party on the issue.

"We came here to show our support to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. We demand that the PM interferes and takes necessary steps to solve the problem," Kumaraswamy said. The four CM went to Kejriwal's residence after they were "denied" permission by LG Anil Baijal. 

"I wanted to meet the Delhi chief minister but I was told, verbally, that permission will not be granted. Then four of us wrote to the LG for appointment, but we were told that he (Baijal) is not there. We were not allowed," Banerjee said.

I wanted to meet Delhi CM but I was told, verbally and not even written, that permission will not be granted. Then four of us wrote to LG for appointment but we were told that he (LG) is not even there. We waited so long but we were not allowed: WB CM Mamata Banerjee in Delhi pic.twitter.com/xU2zUeP5Ob

— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2018

We came here to express our support to Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal. The
LG has to allow this government to function. We had asked permission from the LG to see the CM to which there was no response. pic.twitter.com/03KkIapwMt — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) June 16, 2018

The CMs met Kejriwal's wife and several other AAP leaders at Kejriwal's residence. Earlier, the four CMs met at Andhra Bhawan. Banerjee, Naidu, Vijayan and Kumaraswamy are in Delhi to attend a meeting of Niti Ayog on Sunday.

"We were not even given six minutes to meet him. We want this problem to be solved. This has become a constitutional crisis. Ultimately, if this problem is not solved then people will face issues. If this is happening in the capital then what will happen in other states? We will meet the prime minister on Sunday and request him to intervene and solve the problem," Banerjee said, PTI reported.

4 CMs @MamataOfficial @ncbn Pinarayi Vijayan & HD Kumaraswamy reached @ArvindKejriwal's residence, meeting family of AK & colleagues.

They will be moving towards LG House, shortly. pic.twitter.com/XuhyqaO6EX — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) June 16, 2018

Permission denied by LG. Extremely sad state of affairs. https://t.co/s2iihd2Hyf — Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 16, 2018

Stopping democratically elected CM of West Bengal from meeting her counterpart, democratically elected CM of Delhi is extremely petty. Shows the insecurity of PM Modi. https://t.co/F5dLgtRmRy — Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 16, 2018

This is getting more and more bizarre... https://t.co/206EK22bsJ — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 16, 2018

I don’t think Hon’ble 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. https://t.co/hKEe99s8Fp — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 16, 2018

We live in a democracy. Can PM deny Hon’ble CMs of other states to meet CM of another state? Raj Niwas is noone’s personal property. It belongs to the people of India. https://t.co/bB0w9OeDrV — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 16, 2018

Kejriwal, along with Deputy CM 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', among other demands.

The Delhi CM on Saturday alleged that there is de facto President's rule in Delhi because of what the AAP government describes as an ongoing IAS officers' strike. In response to a tweet about IAS officers withdrawing from work being de facto President's rule, Kejriwal tweeted, "I agree. It is de facto president's rule in Delhi through IAS strike."

Jain and Sisodia have been sitting on hunger strike at the waiting room of the LG secretariat since Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Kejriwal has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work with his officers not attending his meetings. In his letter to the PM on Friday, he urged him to end IAS officers' strike so that he can attend a meeting of NITI Aayog on Sunday.

Also, Sisodia on Friday released a video warning that if they are forcibly removed from the LG secretariat, they will stop drinking water too.

"मैं और @SatyendarJain दिल्ली की बेहतरी के लिए तपस्या कर रहे हैं, अगर LG साहब ज़बरदस्ती अनशन तुड़वाने की कोशिश करेंगे तो हम पानी भी त्याग देंगे"- @msisodia

pic.twitter.com/7fcLch0aQR — AAP Govt Supporter (@AAPGovt4Delhi) June 15, 2018

However, the IAS officers' association has maintained that no officer is on 'strike'.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Friday agreed to hear on June 18 a plea seeking direction to the L-G to ensure that the alleged informal strike by IAS officers of Delhi is called off and they perform their duties as public servants. The petition comes in the backdrop of another plea filed on Thursday in the court seeking that the sit-in by Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues at the LG office against the "strike" by the IAS officers be declared unconstitutional and illegal. 

This plea against Kejriwal's sit-in was also listed for hearing for June 18.

(With PTI inputs)