| 16 July 2023
In a press conference held on Saturday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh made remarks indicating the party's stance on protecting the rights of elected state governments from what he referred to as "assaults" by the central government. Although he did not explicitly mention the Delhi ordinance issue, his statements hinted at the possibility of the Congress supporting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in their battle against the controversial ordinance.
Ramesh emphasized that the Congress Party has always stood against any attack on the federal structure of elected state governments, both inside and outside the Parliament. This statement comes at a time when the Congress Party is engaged in an ongoing disagreement with the AAP, who have been seeking clarity on their participation in opposition party meetings and future gatherings.
Sources within the Congress Party revealed that they might finally decide to back the AAP on the ordinance issue in Parliament. The AAP has been actively rallying support from various non-BJP parties, expressing their concerns that the ordinance would undermine the federal structure of the country.
The Delhi ordinance, implemented by the Centre on May 19, aimed to curtail the powers of the elected government in Delhi. This move by the central government came shortly after the Supreme Court granted control of services in Delhi to the elected government, excluding areas related to police, public order, and land.
Following the introduction of the ordinance, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal embarked on a nationwide tour, meeting with non-BJP parties to garner support against the controversial measure. Kejriwal argued that the ordinance would have a detrimental impact on the country's federal structure.
Against this backdrop, the senior leadership of the Congress Party convened a meeting of its parliamentary strategy group on Saturday to discuss various matters that will be raised during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. When questioned about the ordinance issue and whether the Congress Party would oppose the related bill in Parliament, Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, stated that the party has consistently opposed actions taken by the Modi government that undermine the constitutional rights of elected state governments and local bodies.
As the Monsoon Session of Parliament approaches, all eyes will be on the Congress Party to see if they follow through on their hints of support for the AAP's fight against the Delhi ordinance. If the Congress does choose to align with the AAP on this issue, it could have significant implications for the balance of power between the central government and state governments, further fueling the ongoing debate surrounding the federal structure of the country.
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