Arvind Kejriwal sit-in protest live: Opposition urges PM to step in, blames Centre for ‘constitutional crisis’

In a bid to put pressure on the Centre and the BJP, four non-BJP chief ministers met in New Delhi on Saturday and discussed a strategy to provide support to protesting Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who wants IAS officers to end their non-cooperation with his government.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee attended a meeting at Andhra Bhawan with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

They met shortly after Delhi’s Lt. Governor Anil Baijal declined permission to Banerjee to meet Kejriwal. She had planned to go to the protest site — the Lt. Governor’s residential office — along with Naidu.

Here are the live updates:

11.50pm: Do these four chief ministers know what led to this crisis? Where were these people when Delhi’s chief secretary was being humiliated and assaulted. This crisis began from there, says union minister Vijay Goel.

10.10pm: We came here to show our support to the Delhi CM. We demand that the Prime Minister interferes in this issue and takes necessary steps to solve this problem, says Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.

10.09pm: This is not the time to blame anybody, this is time to solve the problem. We did not get permission to meet the L-G. We are not beggars, we waited for 3-4 hours for the L-G’s response. Police refused to let us in, says Mamata Banerjee.

10.08pm: The Delhi CM is protesting at the L-G’s office for six days. Really sorry to see the situation. In a democracy, there are times when leaders need to move above politics, says Mamata Banerjee.

The mandate given by Delhiites should be respected. Tomorrow, in the Niti Aayog meeting, we will request the PM to intervene and resolve the issue, says Mamata Banerjee.

10.07pm: We will tell the PM to intervene in this matter and solve it. Had the President been here, we would have told him too. This is a democracy and that is how a democracy functions, says Mamata Banerjee.

10.05pm: I wanted to meet the Delhi CM but was told verbally and not even written that permission will not be granted. Then the four of us wrote to L-G for appointment but we were told that he is not even there. We waited so long but we were not allowed, says Mamata Banerjee.

10.03pm: There are 2 crore people in Delhi. Work has been disrupted since four months, and there can be nothing more unfortunate than this. L-G is the appointed leader. If not him, then whom will one go to seek time and talk, asks Mamata Banerjee.

10.01pm: This is a constitutional crisis. But there should never be such crisis due to which a government and the common people have to suffer, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

AAP supporters gather outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s residence. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

9.59pm: Because of the attitude of the central government, this happened. The Centre is restricting the federal system which is a threat to the nation. Everyone is with him (Kejriwal). All the democratic people are with him, says Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

9.57pm: We are requesting the L-G and the Centre to resolve the stalemate. Our demand is clear that they have to sort out the issue immediately and allow the elected government to function smoothly, says Chandrababu Naidu.

Politics is at one place but the Centre and state should work in coordination. Should the Centre or L-G create problems for the elected government, then governance will suffer, says Chandrababu Naidu.

9.55pm: We came here to express our support to the Delhi CM. The L-G has to allow this government to function. Mamata ji had asked permission from the L-G to see the Delhi CM to which there was no response, says Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu.

9.20pm: Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and HD Kumaraswamy have arrived at Arvind Kejriwal’s house, reports ANI news.

9pm: Chief ministers of West Bengal and Bihar — Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar — visited AIIMS where former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is undergoing treatment, hospital sources told PTI news.