Delhi LG denies nod to CM for Singapore visit; govt to approach MEA
In a setback for Arvind Kejriwal, lieutenant governor (L-G) VK Saxena has rejected the file submitted by the Delhi government seeking his approval for the chief minister’s Singapore visit to attend a summit in August since it’s a conference of mayors, said the L-G office on Thursday.
The LG further advised Kejriwal to not attend the World Cities Summit in Singapore next month since it is a conference of mayors and said it won’t be befitting for a chief minister to attend it, an official said on Thursday.
The LG said the Delhi government does not have exclusive domain over the issues and it will be ‘inappropriate’ for a chief minister to attend it. He has also noted that a chief minister attending such a conference will set a bad precedent
According to an official from the Delhi government, the chief minister has termed the delay as “wrong”. “The Singapore government has invited chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to present the Delhi model at the global summit.
It will be presented before the world leaders,” the official said.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia later said his government will now approach the Ministry of External Affairs to seek political clearance for CM Arvind Kejriwal’s Singapore visit, after LG V K Saxena advised to not attend the World Cities Summit there.
“The LG has advised Kejriwal to not attend the conference since it is a conference of mayors. The chief ministers of other states have attended this conference in the past. Even the prime minister goes for state-related issues. This is mean politics at work. We will now approach the Ministry of External Affairs directly for political clearance and hope that they will accept our request,” Sisodia said during a briefing.