SP to support AAP over Central ordinance

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday announced his party's support to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in

the national capital after a meeting here with the AAP convener.

Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at the meeting.

"We had discussion with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav...we thank him as he has assured his party's support when the ordinance comes in the Rajya Sabha," Kejriwal told a joint press conference after the meeting.

The SP chief termed the ordinance as "anti-democratic" and said, "My party is with you (Kejriwal)."

Kejriwal said that if the ordinance gets defeated in the Rajya Sabha, it will send a "strong message" before the 2024 parliamentary elections.

"If all the anti-BJP parties unite and get the ordinance defeated in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP is not in majority, it will be a semifinal of the next year's elections and send a strong message to the country," Kejriwal said.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief has been reaching out to leaders of non-BJP parties to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centre's bid to replace it through a Bill is defeated when it is brought in Parliament.