In a significant move that could boost the opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday and expressed his solidarity with the AAP government in its standoff with the Centre over the control of administrative services. The JD(U) leader, who was accompanied by his deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, slammed the Centre for promulgating an ordinance that effectively nullified the Supreme Court’s order that gave the Delhi government the power to transfer and post IAS and DANICS cadre officers.

Calling the ordinance “unconstitutional” and “baffling”, Nitish Kumar said that it was an infringement on the rights of an elected government and a violation of the federal structure of the country. He said that Kejriwal was doing good work in Delhi and it was surprising that his government was being obstructed from doing its work. He also called for all opposition parties in the country to come together to take on the BJP in the next general elections. He said that he would reach out to other leaders to rally support for Kejriwal on this issue.

Kejriwal, who had earlier said that he would seek support from opposition leaders regarding the ordinance, thanked Nitish Kumar for his support and said that he would meet leaders of various parties to ensure that any bill brought to replace the ordinance is not passed in Rajya Sabha. He said that if the bill is defeated in Rajya Sabha, it would send out a message that the BJP government would lose the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The AAP national convenor also said that the ordinance was a “contempt of Supreme Court” and that his government would challenge it in the apex court.

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