"Approach PM Modi for full statehood", Sheila Dikshit advises Arvind Kejriwal
Dikshit also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of protesting to hide their failures on real issues.
Holding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responsible for the "stalemate" in the national capital, senior Congress member and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday advised him to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demand full statehood instead of protesting.
"The demand for full statehood can only be made in Parliament as it is the sole authority to change the Constitution,", Dikshit told reporters in New Delhi at a press conference.
"As Delhi is a union territory, the Lt. Governor and the Chief Minister have no power to change the Constitution. And if Kejriwal wants to make a demand for full statehood, then he should approach Parliament and the Prime Minister," she said.
The former chief minister said that her party had also demanded full statehood for Delhi.
"But then we realised that Delhi, being the national capital of the country, the city government cannot get control over the Delhi Police and the land."
Dikshit also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of protesting to hide their failures on real issues.
"They have failed on every front and to hide their failures they are protesting at the LG's house," she alleged.
Dikshit also held Kejriwal responsible for the stalemate in the city, saying: "I have not seen any of the elected government sitting on a protest like this. I don't know what they are trying to hide and what is their aim behind such protest.
"Even we worked under the BJP government for over six years in Delhi, but there was never such a condition. Meanwhile, between 1998-2004 we converted about one lakh vehicles into CNG, we privatised power, we brought water reforms in the city.
"For this stalemate in Delhi, Kejriwal is responsible," she said.
"This is a fight between the Lt Governor and the Chief Minister, and they should sort it out. Even if the Central government wants to intervene, then the Ministry of Home Affairs can intervene," she said.
The sit-in protest at Lt. Governor Anil Baijal's office-cum-residence by Kejriwal, and his cabinet colleagues Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Cabinet ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai entered the fifth day on Friday.
The hunger strike by Jain entered Day 3 and that by Sisodia entered Day 2.
BJP leaders also held a demonstration at the Delhi Secretariat against Kejriwal's sit-in protest.