Congress backs AAP, says 'won't support' Centre's ordinance in Delhi; party welcomes move

New Delhi [India], July 16 : Putting an end to speculations over its stand on the Centre’s ordinance related to the control of administrative services in Delhi, Congress, in a big boost for Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government announced its support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
General Secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday said that the party’s stand on the same is ‘very clear’ and it is going to oppose it in parliament.
"Congress' stand on this is very clear. We will oppose it," Venugopal said while speaking to ANI.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said the Congress' "unequivocal opposition" to the Delhi ordinance was "a positive development".
AAP MP and national spokesperson Raghav Chadha tweeted, "Congress announces its unequivocal opposition to the Delhi Ordinance. This is a positive development."
AAP Minister Gopal Rai said that their fight has got a strength with the Congress support.
"Congress party today made its stand clear and said that it will oppose the Delhi ordinance. This fight has got strength with Congress' support," Rai told ANI.
While Congress West Bengal President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the party has objected in some way or the other.
"For the past many years, PM Modi's govt has brought in several ordinances one after the other. On every ordinance, the Congress party has objected in some way or the other...We don't want a law to be passed through ordinance...," Chowdhury further said.
Arvind Kejriwal's party, after the first party meeting in Patna had threatened to boycott the key Opposition meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow aimed at forging an alliance to take on the ruling BJP ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
On June 23, the AAP issued a statement saying that until the Congress publicly denounces the "black ordinance" and declares that all 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded parties where the Congress is a participant.
"A total of 15 parties are attending the like-minded party meeting in Patna, out of which 12 have representation in the Rajya Sabha. Except for the Indian National Congress, all other 11 parties, which have representation in the Rajya Sabha, have clearly expressed their stand against the Black Ordinance and announced that they would oppose it in the Rajya Sabha," the party said.
AAP had claimed said that during the meeting of like-minded parties in Patna, many parties urged the Congress to publicly denounce the ordinance but the "Congress refused to do so".
However, with the Congress making its stand clear on the Delhi ordinance issue, the AAP will now participate in the upcoming meeting of the opposition parties in Bengaluru.
“The party under Arvind Kejriwal ji, will participate the meeting of the like-minded parties in Bengaluru on July 17-18,” Raghav Chaddha said.
The BJP-led central government brought the ordinance on the transfer and posting of bureaucrats in Delhi in May, virtually negating a Supreme Court verdict giving the elected government in Delhi the control over services matter.
The ordinance seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.
Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.
The AAP had been counting on the support of the Congress, which has 31 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP does not have a majority in the Upper House of Parliament.
CM Kejriwal had even held one-on-one meetings with top Opposition leaders across the country, soliciting their support on the Ordinance issue. 
The Ordinance is likely to be tabled in Parliament during the Monsoon session.
Earlier, at the inaugural meeting of Opposition parties in Patna, last month, the Congress had kept its stance "unclear" on the Ordinance issue and had repeatedly stressed that the meeting to flesh out the contours for Opposition unity, with an eye on the next year's Lok Sabha elections, wasn't the appropriate forum to clear its stand on the issue.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken a swipe at the AAP with West Bengal party chief Sukanta Majumdar saying that Arvind Kejriwal’s party cannot be “trusted”.
"Aam Aadmi Party should not be trusted...Let the opposition parties come together, later they will go different ways," Mazumdar said.
The opposition meet in Bengaluru is scheduled with the purpose of uniting the opposition to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming general assembly polls in 2024.
Top leaders of at least 24 political parties would attend the second Opposition unity meeting being convened by Congress in Bengaluru. 
Significantly, a mega opposition meeting was held in Bihar's Patna on June 23.
Moreover, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has also invited top opposition leaders to participate in the next unity meeting.
Congress President in a letter addressed to top opposition party leaders reminded them about their participation in June 23 opposition meeting held in Patna called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish kumar.
"The meeting was a great success as we were able to discuss various important issues that threaten our democratic polity and came to a unanimous agreement on unitedly fighting the next General Elections," Kharge said in his invitation letter.
"In furtherance thereof, I request you to kindly make it convenient to attend the meeting followed by dinner on July 17 at 6.00 pm at Bengaluru. The meeting will continue on July 18 2023 from 11.00 am onwards. Looking forward to meeting you in Bengaluru," Kharge further stated in his letter.
The first Opposition Unity meeting attended by more than 15 parties was held in Patna on June 23, and it was convened by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.