Delhi doesn't need 'part-time' CM: Congress

The Congress Party on Sunday dubbed Arvind Kejriwal as a 'part-time' Chief Minister while alleging that he is least bothered about the alarming pollution level in Delhi as his heart and soul is focused on gaining political mileage outside the national capital.

Congress leader Ajay Maken told ANI that when the Chief Minister's heat, soul, mind and body is outside Delhi for his own 'political ambition' then he is doing no good.

"Well first we would like to clarify that the Congress will be supportive of any measure which the government takes. Whether it is the Central Government or the state government but in the same way I would like to say that Delhi doesn't need a part time Chief Minister," he said.

"Now, he has announced knee jerk measures which are just short-term measures, short-term needs reaction. As far as the air pollution is concerned, the problem of air pollution is so bad that we just don't need knee jerk reaction or short-term measures. We need solid long-term measures which Arvind Kejriwal has failed to address in the last two to three years," he added.

Kejriwal today announced a list of measures to be enforced by the state government including putting all construction projects across the city on hold for the next five days and ordering the shutdown of all schools for the next three days to curb pollution in the national capital.

Kejriwal also stated that the return of Odd-Even scheme was possible to keep traffic emissions in check, adding that the possibility of artificial rain was also discussed in the meeting but it would need the Centre's help in that.

Remaining resolute on his stand that crop burning in the neighbouring states was responsible for the ever-increasing pollution level in Delhi, the Chief Minister added that no immediate relief could be expected as stubble burning continued.

However, earlier in the day Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave rebuked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi Government for accusing the neighbouring states for the rising level of pollution in the national capital.