Why does Delhi need a Deputy CM: BJP asks Kejriwal

Continuing their assault on the Delhi Chief Minister for targeting President Pranab Mukherjee over rejecting the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Bill to exclude the post of Parliamentary Secretary from the office of profit, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday launched a new salvo on Arvind Kejriwal asking him why did he need a Deputy Chief Minister in the first place.

Speaking to ANI here, BJP leader Shazia Ilmi stressed that Kejriwal was directing his every failure as an intrusion or an obstacle was placed in his path by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"All these MLAs had access to ministerial offices and if that is being struck down, then why is it being led to the Modi government. The Prime Minister has nothing better to do than keep plotting and planning against Kejriwal? Kejriwal is the one who has so much free time on his hands as he keeps flitting from Goa to Hyderabad to Punjab and is not bothered about Delhi. The Prime Minister has work to do," Ilmi said.

She further said that the way the President's Office was being besmirched by Kejriwal was a serious issue, as it had never happened before that the President has been accused of foul play.

"AAP is saying the President has taken a political decision and that is a very dangerous accusation, because you are questioning the institution of the President," she added.

Asserting that the 'congealed' and 'concealed' ambition of Kejriwal needs to be exposed very soon, Ilmi said that he was hungry for power and was capable of subverting the entire system to suit his wishes.

"Why does Delhi even have a deputy Chief Minister? Even big states don't have that. But he took the call just to make sure that his people are happy and are set in good places. It's incredible that Ashish Khetan has a bungalow in Satyaniketan, Chanakyapuri. Blood is being sucked out of the Delhi exchequer to keep this man and his brethren happy." Ilmi said.

With President Pranab Mukherjee rejecting the Bill to exclude the post of Parliamentary Secretary from the office of profit, Kejriwal earlier alleged that Prime Minister Modi is 'scared' of AAP while blaming him for posing an obstacle in the Delhi Government's functioning.

Kejriwal told ANI that Prime Minister Modi is not yet able to digest the AAP's splendid win in the Delhi Assembly polls.

The Delhi Government Bill to exclude the post of Parliamentary Secretary from the office of profit has been refused assent by the President, raising questions over the fate of 21 AAP MLAs, who have been appointed to the posts.

The refusal puts a question mark on the membership of 21 AAP MLAs, who have been appointed Parliamentary Secretaries.

The AAP Government had sought an amendment to the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997 through which it had sought "retrospective" exemption for the parliamentary secretaries from disqualification provisions.

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung forwarded the Bill to the Centre, which in turn was sent to the President with comments.