‘Centre to impose President’s Rule in Delhi’ says Atishi

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader of Delhi, Atishi, expressed worries on Friday, claiming that the national government led by the BJP plans to impose President’s Rule in Delhi and citing a number of signs suggesting that this might be the case.

At a press conference, Atishi emphasized the legitimacy of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government’s overwhelming majority and criticized any potential imposition of President’s Rule as illegal, unconstitutional, and contrary to the people’s mandate.

She cited instances such as the absence of senior IAS officers’ appointments despite vacancies, the LG’s (VK Saxena) frequent letters to the MHA regarding the Delhi government, and the dismissal of CM Arvind Kejriwal’s personal secretary in a decades-old case as signs of a concerted effort to destabilize the AAP government.

However, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva dismissed Atishi’s claims as unfounded, questioning the AAP’s apprehensions considering its substantial majority in the assembly.

Atishi further alleged that Kejriwal’s recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) lacked evidence and was part of a larger conspiracy to overthrow the AAP government and enforce President’s Rule. AAP denounced the charges against Kejriwal and viewed the arrest as a political ploy to suppress his growing influence as a strong opposition figure.

Highlighting disruptions caused by officials abstaining from AAP-led meetings and the sacking of the CM’s private secretary, Atishi suggested a coordinated attempt to thwart the AAP government and impose President’s Rule, aimed at obstructing the implementation of the government’s welfare schemes.

Referring to past instances like the imposition of President’s Rule in Uttarakhand, Atishi underscored the need for legal recourse, indicating a potential move by AAP to seek court intervention to enable Kejriwal’s functioning from jail.