"Who will go to which side...": Chirag Paswan on Opposition's unity regarding Delhi Services Bill

Aug 01, 2023

New Delhi [India], August 1 : Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) President Chirag Paswan on Tuesday raised doubts over the Opposition's unity regarding the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and said that it remains to be seen which party from the newly formed INDIA alliance extends their support or opposes the Delhi Services Bill.
"Who will go to which side from the I.N.D.I.A alliance that has been formed is the bigger question," Chirag Paswan who has newly joined the NDA alliance said responding to a question on the Delhi Services Bill.
Speaking to ANI, the LJP (Ram Vilas) chief said, "Many leaders listen to their hearts even when they are a part of any alliance. This Bill is a big test for the INDIA alliance."
Extending his support to the Delhi Services Bill, Chirag Paswan said, "We are part of the NDA alliance. Even when I was not under the NDA fold, I had supported the Bharatiya Janata Party and the central government on various issues."
Speaking outside the Parliament, he said, "If you are talking specifically on this Bill, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is supporting the Central government. We think this Bill should come and should pass."
Chirag Paswan said that transfer posting has turned into a game and should stop. "The way transfer posting has been turned into a game and the wrongdoing done in the transfer posting should be stopped," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Delhi Services Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha which seeks to replace the Ordinance brought by the Centre in May, excluding certain services from the legislative competence of the Delhi legislative assembly.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had personally called on top Opposition leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stalwart Sharad Pawar, in a bid to solicit their support for the Centre's Ordinance on the control of services in the national capital.
Opposition members from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), including the Congress, have already cleared their stand over the Bill, saying they would oppose it as it will destroy the federal structure of governance.
Notably, the bill to replace the ordinance for control of services in Delhi was introduced in Lok Sabha today. The controversial bill aims to replace an ordinance that granted the Centre control over Delhi's bureaucrats, thereby overriding a Supreme Court ruling favouring the elected government's authority in transfers and appointments.