Five CMs support Arvind Kejriwal in raising concerns about deteriorating Centre-state ties

NEW DELHI: Five chief ministers have backed their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in his ongoing turf war with the central government, creating the possibility of a front of non-NDA ruled states. While West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee attended a conclave of chief ministers organised by the Delhi government on Wednesday, Tripura's Manik Sarkar personally met Kejriwal and three others including Bihar's Nitish Kumar sent letters of support.

"In a federal structure, it is important for all institutions to ensure that nobody crosses the 'Lakshman rekha' defined by the Constitution. The states know their jurisdictional limits, but the Centre cannot arm-twist them," Banerjee said while addressing the event at The Imperial Hotel. "Of late, the central government has been taking unilateral decisions, without taking the states into confidence," she said.

The Trinamool Congress leader described her own experience with state governor and the Centre's poor track record of disbursing money, and said the Centre "must bear in mind that those ruling the states have also been given a mandate by the voters to rule their respective states". She also offered to host the second such conclave of CMs in West Bengal. "Chief Ministers may belong to different political parties, but common issues of states must be discussed," Banerjee said.

CPI(M)'s Sarkar, who met Kejriwal in person and not on the stage with Banerjee, also raised concerns about the Modi government's track record. So far, it "does not indicate a positive scenario for strengthening federalism," he said.

In a detailed note, Sarkar stressed the need to "strengthen federalism" and "restructure" Centre-state relationship. Nitish Kumar in a message apologised for his absence due to the Bihar elections and assured that he was "with Kejriwal in this fight".

Kejriwal himself shared his government's painful experiences with the state's lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung and Centre. "I was shocked to learn from Mamata di today that West Bengal governor (has) also be interfering in their day to day affairs, like LG does in Delhi," he said. The AAP leader thanked and read out from letters sent by the chief ministers of Mizoram, Puducherry and Bihar. He also said the CMs were not seeking to form an electoral bloc.