AAP Says It Will Boycott Opposition Alliance If Congress Refuses To Denounce Centre's Ordinance On Delhi Civil Services

On Friday (23 June), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it would find it challenging to be part of any alliance that includes the Congress party unless the latter publicly denounces an ordinance passed by the Centre.

The ordinance in question was promulgated by the Union government to take control of appointment of civil servants away from the state government of Delhi.

Fifteen opposition parties held a meeting in Bihar's Patna to discuss an anti-BJP alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.

In a statement, AAP said, "Congress' hesitation and refusal to act as a team player, especially on an issue as important as this one, would make it very difficult for the AAP to be a part of any alliance that includes Congress."

"Until the Congress publicly denounces the Black Ordinance and declares that all 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded parties where the Congress is a participant."

According to AAP, senior Congress leaders hinted at the possibility of their party abstaining from voting on the issue in the Rajya Sabha. The party also claimed that the Congress' abstention would greatly benefit the BJP's attack on Indian democracy.

Along with other members of the party, such as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal attended the opposition meeting in Patna on Friday.

AAP said that 15 parties are attending the like-minded party meeting in Patna, with 12 of them having representation in the Rajya Sabha.

Eleven parties, except for the Indian National Congress, have clearly expressed their opposition to the Black Ordinance and announced that they would oppose it in the Rajya Sabha, the party said.

The ‘Black Ordinance’ aims to snatch the democratic rights of an elected government in Delhi, and AAP believes that it poses a significant threat to India’s democracy and Constitutional principles, the party said.

AAP described the ordinance as “anti-constitutional, anti-federalism, and outright undemocratic” and an “affront to the judiciary.”

It also stated that it is high time for the Congress to decide whether it stands with the people of Delhi or with the Modi government.