Centre: No proposal for statehood to Delhi

Even as the AAP has spent more than two months holding charge of the Delhi government, the Union home ministry has said there is no proposal before it for granting full statehood to Delhi — raising questions whether the AAP- led Arvind Kejriwal government has not submitted any proposal on their key demand so far.

On Tuesday, the Union home ministry said there was no plan as of now to accord the status to Delhi. The AAP had listed demand for full statehood for Delhi in its manifesto and Mr Kejriwal has been pressing for the same in his speeches after being elected with an absolute majority.

The recent tussle between the Delhi chief minister and lieutenantgovernor over routing of files was also being seen as an attempt by Mr Kejriwal to test waters for full statehood for the capital city. “There is no proposal with the government for granting full statehood to Delhi,” Union minister of state for home affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said, replying to a question in the Lok Sabha.

Both the BJP and the AAP refused to comment on the issue of “full statehood” for Delhi. An AAP spokesperson said that the party was “committed to the issue,” but the BJP chose to maintain a stoic silence.

The Centre’s refusal to grant full statehood invited scathing criticism from the Congress. Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said that the BJP was never serious about granting full statehood to Delhi and added that the Centre had failed to fulfill even a single promise it had made during the elections.