Kejriwal calls off 9-day sit-in at LG's office; calls it small victory

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today called off his nine-day sit-in at the LG's office after IAS officers started attending meetings with ministers, which the AAP chief termed as a "small victory".

Kejriwal's deputy Manish Sisodia said that the protest inside Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's office "cannot" lead to an approval of doorstep delivery of ration proposal from the LG, one of the key issues behind the sit-in.

AAP supporters cheered Kejriwal as he came out of the LG's office and later he was given a welcome at his residence where he addressed party workers.

"If the LG has prompted the strike by the IAS officers, it is very unfortunate. It is a small victory. Ninety-nine per cent of the IAS officers are very good. We have done a lot in power and water sectors and we could not have done this alone," he told the party workers.

"But some officers in private told us that they were being pressurised not to work with the AAP government. We were silent for the last four months over the IAS officers' strike. But we wanted to resolve the issue. That is why we felt that the matter should be brought before the public. The battle for Delhi's statehood will continue," the chief minister said.

Sisodia, in a hurriedly-called press briefing, said that the sit-in was "not a dharna" as they were "waiting to meet the LG."
Noting that it is "good thing" that officers are attending meetings, he said," I wanted to tell you about most of issues which were stuck due to strike, have been resolved today."