In an unexpected show of bonhomie, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on his birthday to wish him ‘long life and good health’ and sent him ‘birthday card’ while Lt Governor Najeeb Jung sent him a birthday cake and flowers.
“Thank you so <g data-gr-id="28"><g data-gr-id="29">much</g> sir</g> for your wishes. I am touched. I look forward to meeting you soon to brief you on Delhi’s situation,” said Kejriwal in his reply to the Prime Minister. Earlier in the day, ahead of his departure to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, Modi said he had telephoned Kejriwal and wished him on his 47th birthday. “Spoke to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and wished him on his birthday. My prayers for his long life and good health,” Modi said in a brief tweet.
Besides several supporters and residents who poured into Kejriwal’s Civil Lines residence, BJP stalwart L K Advani, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee greeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader over telephone. Jung, with whom Kejriwal has been having a running feud, surprised the AAP founder leader by sending a cake and flowers.
Modi’s gesture came a day after Kejriwal said in his Independence Day address here that there must be a ‘working arrangement’ between the Prime Minister and the Delhi chief minister. While admitting that the AAP government had known differences with the Modi government, Kejriwal said “As both; he and Modi live in the national Capital, there should be a working arrangement between them for the welfare of the city and (its) people.”
Kejriwal also said in the speech that he had tried to meet Modi to discuss Delhi’s <g data-gr-id="33">problems</g> but he could not get an appointment. He promised to try and meet Modi again. The Delhi government has been locked in a conflict with Delhi’s Lieutenant- Governor Najeeb Jung – the representative of the central government - over the city government’s powers. Nevertheless, Kejriwal and Jung met and embraced one another at Rashtrapati Bhawan at home on August 15. Earlier both met each other at an Iftaar party on July 13.