Four CMs meet over Kejriwal's protest

In a bid to put pressure on the Centre and the BJP, four non-BJP Chief Ministers met here on Saturday and discussed a strategy to provide support to protesting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who wants IAS officers to end their non-cooperation with his government.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended a meeting at Andhra Bhawan with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

They met shortly after Delhi's Lt. Governor Anil Baijal declined permission to Banerjee to meet Kejriwal. She had planned to go to the protest site -- Lt. Governor's residential office -- along with Naidu.

Informed sources said the four Chief Ministers were planning a strategy on how to strengthen Kejriwal's hands.

On denial of permission by the Lt Governor, Kejriwal tweeted: "I don't think 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.

"We live in a democracy. Can PM deny CMs of other states to meet CM of another state? Raj Niwas is no one's personal property. It belongs to the people of India."

Delhi's Lt. Governor Baijal earlier denied permission to Banerjee for meeting her Delhi counterpart who is on a protest at the Lt Governor's office-cum-residence, Raj Niwas.

"Permission denied by LG. Extremely sad state of affairs," Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha tweeted.

Kejriwal followed it up with: "This is getting more and more bizarre..."

Minutes before Chadha had tweeted: "West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asks LG to let her meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal this evening at 8 p.m."

Kejriwal, along with Deputy Chief Minister 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.

He also wants the central government to approve his government's proposal to deliver ration to the poor at their houses.

--IANS

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