AAP says Congress betrayed Delhi by not seeking full statehood

NEW DELHI:

AAP

slammed Congress on Tuesday after the latter promised Puducherry full

statehood

in its manisfesto but didn’t do so for Delhi. In a chapter on federalism and Centre-state relations, the manifesto promised to amend the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) Act, 1991 to make it clear that the lieutenant governor shall act on the aid and advice of the council of ministers except in matters concerning three reserved subjects (land, public order and police).

AAP, which is keen on an alliance with Congress in the capital for the parliamentary

elections

, has made statehood for Delhi its main electoral plank. “The manifesto of Congress is a big betrayal of the people of Delhi. Congress has been promising full statehood to the people of Delhi for last 20 years. Why Congress backtracked this time? How will people believe that Congress will fulfill the other promises,” deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said on Twitter.

AAP said that the chapter on federalism appeared to have been written in haste. It observed that the Congress manifesto refers to a wrong law in dealing with governance in Delhi. The cabinet’s aid and advice can be made binding on the LG only through a constitutional amendment and not through changes in the GNCTD Act.

Addressing a press conference, AAP’s Delhi convener, Gopal Rai, said his party was not ready to compromise on the issue of full statehood and the talks of an alliance can progress only after Congress includes full statehood for Delhi in its election manifesto. “Congress backtracking on the issue is unfortunate and sad. The people of Delhi want full statehood. It is beyond comprehension that a party which promised full statehood in 2015 has not included it in its latest manifesto,” said Rai while demanding that Congress must include a promise for full statehood by revising its manifesto.

Congress has also promised to prevail upon the states to implement the 73rd and 74th amendments that devolve powers and funds from the Centre to the municipal corporations. This will strengthen the civic bodies and empower them to plan that so far only DDA can do in Delhi.

And what can at this stage only be seen as posturing, Rai stated that AAP will contest all seven seats alone if Congress does not concede its demand. AAP has been very keen on an alliance which can be only a marriage of convenience between the two parties to stop BJP. It seems unlikely that Congress will agree to its demand. The party has anyway been speaking in many voices on the likelihood of an alliance and there is still no clarity whether it’s likely to happen or not.

And if talks are indeed on and some headway has been made, it would be interesting to see what seat sharing formula the two parties are able to agree on and whether Haryana is a part of the deal or not. It seems unlikely that the manifesto will be a sticking point.