Kejriwal, Jaitley share stage at Bengal summit, avoid each other

The West Bengal government-organised business summit on Friday witnessed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley - who have been gunning for each other over the DDCA issue - share the stage but the two avoided each other.

While the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government has been demanding the removal of the finance minister alleging corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association which he headed for years, Jaitley has hit back suing Kejriwal for defamation.

Both Jaitley and Kejriwal delivered speeches at the inaugural session of the summit, but avoided each other.

They were sitting in the front row, separated by two chairs occupied by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

The two leaders also had come together at the dinner party on Thursday night hosted by Banerjee on the eve of the Bengal Global Business Summit'.

Their sharing a stage came against the backdrop of the union home ministry declaring as "unconstitutional and illegal" the probe panel appointed by the Delhi government to investigate the alleged DDCA scam.

The Delhi cabinet on December 21 decided to set up the Commission of Inquiry under former solicitor general Gopal Subramanium.