Mamata Banerjee on Friday tossed a proposal to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi: why don’t you meet in Delhi “for tea or for a meal” to discuss the “Delhi ordinance issue” and resolve differences?
The intervention averted a potential crisis that brewed at the meeting of the Opposition parties that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had convened here to discuss a road map to collectively take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“Didi played a very important role with her diplomatic intervention at the right time.... Before the Delhi ordinance issue could become a deal breaker, she suggested that Rahul and Kejriwal meet in Delhi for tea or for a meal and resolve the issue,” said a source who was present at the meeting of 32 leaders from non-BJP parties.
The Aam Aadmi Party has been opposing an ordinance that the Centre brought on May 19 to curtail the powers of the elected government in Delhi. The AAP has been seeking the support of all the Opposition parties against the ordinance, saying that the ordinance will destroy the federal structure of the country.
Although the ordinance was not on the agenda at the meeting of the Opposition parties, it became the talking point. The AAP leadership apparently indicated that Kejriwal, along with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, would walk out unless the Congress publicly denounced the ordinance.
“We were a bit apprehensive of what Kejriwal will do at the meeting.... He brought up the ordinance issue and it was clear that he was in a mood to derail the meeting. But Didi didn’t allow him to do that,” said another source, before adding that the role played by the Bengal chief minister was hailed by almost all the leaders who were present at the meeting.
“It was a very positive beginning of our mission 2024,” added the source.
After the four-hour session, the leaders had lunch where Kejriwal was present. The Delhi chief minister, however, gave the post-meeting joint news conference a miss.
As a statement from the AAP — in which it said that it would be difficult for the party to be part of any Opposition meeting in the presence of the Congress unless it publicly condemned the ordinance — had been circulated by then, a section of the media began reporting that the short-lived Opposition unity was over.
“That’s a wrong interpretation.... Out of around 240 minutes, the ordinance issue was discussed for barely 7 to 10 minutes till Didi intervened and defused the situation,” said a source, playing down the hypothesis that the ordinance issue would cast a shadow on the Opposition’s unity attempts.
Based on the accounts of at least three sources, the discourse on the ordinance went along the following track:
■ Kejriwal complained that his attempts to reach out to Rahul to discuss the issue didn’t yield any result. Then he insisted that the Congress should publicly communicate its opposition to the ordinance through a statement before the media at the joint news conference after the meeting.
■ Rahul said he would not comment on the issue as party president Mallikarjun Kharge was present.
■ Kharge wondered how Kejriwal could think that the Congress would support an undemocratic ordinance brought by the BJP.
■ Kejriwal said the Congress should then clear its stand on the ordinance.
■ Kharge said the party had certain processes in place as it has leaders in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The parliamentary board of the party will meet ahead of the monsoon session and take the decision, he said.
■ When the two were exchanging their views, everyone listened with rapt attention. Although there were some murmurs of discontent against Kejriwal’s insistence, Mamata was the first to intervene and make the suggestion to resolve the differences.
“Kejriwal was not willing to listen to Kharge-ji and the situation was turning critical.... There were several other senior leaders, but it was Didi who intervened by taking the microphone.... She said that Parliament’s monsoon session is coming and this can be sorted out,” said a source, referring to her suggestion for a meeting between Rahul and Kejriwal.
“Then she told Kejriwal that she has already extended support to his cause like many others, before saying that he should have faith in what Karge-ji said in front of so many leaders.... Finally, she said main hoon na (Am I not there?),” added the source.
The role played by the Bengal chief minister, a source close to Nitish said, was instrumental in making the meeting “successful” and the Bihar chief minister was “very appreciative” of what she did.
