AAP Protest: Kejriwal Calls off 9-Day Sit-in, Returns to CM House

According to the AAP government, officers have not been attending meetings with the ministers and not picking up their calls due to which government work was suffering.

Officers have gone on a "partial strike" since the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on 19 February.

Kejriwal on Tuesday alleged that some officers informed him that the L-G's office was "orchestrating" the "officers' strike" and that's why the Lt Governor does not want bureaucrats to end their strike.

The L-G's office slammed Kejriwal's sit-in, saying it was one more "dharna without reason.”

On Tuesday, 12 June, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal released a video from the L-G’s office stating that AAP ministers had "no option" but to stage a sit-in as Lt Governor Anil Baijal was not paying heed to the Delhi government's demands, "despite several requests.”

It was the first time in the history of Delhi that a chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues have spent a night at the L-G's office to press for their demands, sources said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought to know whether it was "possible for IAS officers to return to work without green signal from PMO?"

In another tweet, Kejriwal said their struggle will continue to clear the "hurdles" in Delhi's development.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia began an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday, 13 June, at the office of Lt Governor Anil Baijal, where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Cabinet colleagues spent the second night.

Sisodia followed AAP leader and Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who began his hunger strike a day earlier on Tuesday.

"Today, I am also sitting on an indefinite hunger strike to ensure that Delhiites get their right and also get their pending works cleared. Satyendar Jain's hunger strike is continuing since yesterday..." Sisodia tweeted in Hindi.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh reportedly wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind, asking for an appointment to discuss the situation in Delhi, reported News18.

L-G Anil Baijal is likely to meet Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba at 2 pm on Wednesday, 13 June, in lieu of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s standoff with the bureaucracy in Delhi, reported The Times of India.

Before AAP began its protest march to the L-G office, supporters poured in at the chief minister’s residence.

Former Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha also joined the protestors, will be marching in support of AAP till the L-G office.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has extended her support to Delhi chief minister and his colleagues, who are currently at L-G Anil Baijal's residence, demanding the Centre resolve the problem "immediately".

"Elected Chief Minister must get due respect. May I appeal to the government of India and the LG to resolve the problem immediately so that people do not suffer," she tweeted.

The Delhi chief minister has just tweeted that his brother, who had come from Pune, was not allowed to meet him. "This is wrong."

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that L-G Anil Baijal is not cooperating in ending the IAS 'strike' in the national capital, requesting the Centre to intervene.

The Delhi chief minister further wrote that the IAS officers have not been attending any of the meetings called by ministers, leading to poor administration in the national capital.

Kejriwal said that only L-G or the Centre can bring an end to this strike. "Since the L-G is not ending the strike, Delhi government and its people request you to end this strike so that we start working again," he said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has backed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in his effort to end the IAS strike that has affected the administrative work over the last three months in the national capital. The CPI(M) also said that it will join the protest at Raj Ghat on Thursday evening.

The ruling AAP on Thursday launched a social media campaign and took out a candle march at Rajghat as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his three ministerial colleagues continued their sit-in at the L-G's over IAS officers' "strike" and doorstep delivery of ration. The campaign on Twitter #ModijiForgiveDelhi was joined by several party leaders and workers, who posted their videos.

Arvind Kejriwal's wife on Friday alleged that the families of the ministers, who are staging a sit-in at the L-G Secretariat since Monday evening, were not being allowed to meet them. Sunita Kejriwal said on Twitter that even prisoners are allowed to meet their family members.

With his protest against L-G Anil Baijal entering into the fifth day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that AAP would be launching a door-to-door signature campaign from Monday, 18 June. Kejriwal said that their aim would be to collect 10 lakh signatures in support of calling off the IAS strike.

Addressing the media on the protest by the AAP leaders at Raj Niwas, former Delhi Minister Sheila Dikshit said:

As the protest by the AAP leaders against the L-G entered its fifth day, ambulances were reportedly seen arriving at the Raj Niwas.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suspected that this was a plan to take Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain forcefully.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleged that Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal wants the people of the national capital to suffer as neither he nor the prime minister is "concerned" to address the issue his party has raised.

Singh's allegations came on the fifth day of the sit-in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues are holding at Baijal's office. They demand that the L-G act to end the "strike" by IAS officers in Delhi and also approve the AAP government's ambitious plan to deliver ration at the doorstep.

"Delhi's people are facing so many problems and the L-G wants them to suffer," Singh said

A team of medical specialists on Friday examined Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain, who are on indefinite fast at the office of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's for a few days.

A senior official said Jain has lost some weight since he sat on fast on Tuesday.

The specialist team consists of a cardiologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and the medical head of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, a senior official told PTI.

Asked about Sisodia, he said the deputy chief minister "is doing fine." "There is no need to hospitalise them as of now."

The BJP legislators sitting on a 'dharna' at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office at the Delhi Secretariat on Friday converted their protest into a hunger strike to pressure the government in providing relief to the people hit by water shortage.

The Delhi unit BJP leaders – Vijender Gupta, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Jagdish Pradhan and Parvesh Verma – and rebel Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kapil Mishra also wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his intervention to end the five-day-old sit-in of Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues at Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's office, PTI reported.

Meanwhile, Sisodia released a video warning that if they are forcibly removed from the L-G Secretariat, they will stop drinking water too.

The sit-in by Arvind Kejriwal and his three cabinet colleagues on Saturday, 16 June entered its sixth day as impasse between the AAP dispensation and the Lt Governor over IAS officers’ "strike" continued.

Health minister Satyendar Jain and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who along with Kejriwal and Development Minister Gopal Rai, have stayed put at L-G office since Monday evening, have been sitting on hunger strike since Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

The Delhi High Court on Friday agreed to hear on 18 June a plea seeking direction to the L-G to ensure that the alleged “informal strike” by IAS officers of Delhi was called off – and they perform their duties as public servants.

The petition comes in the backdrop of another plea filed on Thursday in the court seeking that the sit-in by Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues at the L-G’s office against the "strike" by the IAS officers be declared “unconstitutional and illegal”.

This plea against Kejriwal's sit-in was also listed for hearing for 18 June.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerejee, her Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka counterparts – Chandrababu Naidu, Pinarayi Vijayan and H D Kumaraswamy – write to the L-G, seeking permission to meet him at 9 PM on Saturday, 16 June.

Their letter reads, “Would like to make representation to you with respect to issues concerning Delhi CM”.

The four leaders met at Andhra Bhawan ahead of the NITI Aayog meet to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 17 June.

Lt Governor Anil Baijal today denied permission to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to meet her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, who has been protesting at the L-G's office, an AAP leader alleged.

“Permission denied by LG. Extremely sad state of affairs,” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha tweeted.

Four non-BJP chief ministers, on 16 June, expressed solidarity with their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, visiting his home and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention on issues over which he is on a sit-in at the Lieutenant Governor's office.

West Bengal's Mamata Banerejee, Karnataka's H D Kumaraswamy, Andhra Pradesh's Chandrababu Naidu and Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan reached the chief minister's residence in the evening.

She said people should not suffer due to any “political crisis” brought about by any political party.

The four chief ministers are in Delhi to attend NITI Aayog meeting to be held on Sunday, 17 June.

The chief ministers sought Baijal's permission to meet him around 9 pm and make a representation on the issues concerning the sit-in.

Banerjee also wanted permission to meet Kejriwal, but AAP said that Baijal has denied it.

Kejriwal tweeted that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has directed Baijal to refuse permission to Banerjee to meet him.

Union Minister Vijay Goel hit out at the four non-NDA Chief Ministers for backing their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in his ongoing rift with Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Criticising the decision of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for extending support to Kejriwal, Goel on Saturday questioned as to why they did not object to the assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel on Friday extended his support to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in the latter's ongoing rift with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. He took to Twitter to say that even though AAP as a party held no importance for him, he supported the larger cause of democracy Kejriwal was fighting for.

Other political leaders such as Omar Abdullah and MK Stalin also took to the micro-blogging platform to express their support for Kejriwal.

Arvind Kejriwal, a Twitter-happy politician in general, took to the platform to thank the four CMs for their direct support and others, for voicing out their stand in his favour.

On Sunday morning, with Kejriwal’s protest still ongoing at Raj Niwas and no response from Lt Governor Baijwal, the Delhi CM took to Twitter to express his disappointment with PM Narendra Modi. He said: “The Prime Minister who gets officers to strike in a state and shut down all official work, is democracy safe in his hands?”

The Aam Aadmi Party is all set to escalate the dharna undertaken by CM Arvind Kejriwal by marching to the prime minister’s residence at Race Course Road on Sunday. According to sources, people from several Assembly constituencies of Delhi are likely to gather for the march.

The objective of the march is to seek PM Narendra Modi’s intervention to end the impasse by directing the IAS officers in Delhi to “return to work and let the AAP government function”.

Media reports earlier suggested that LG Baijal is representing Delhi, replacing CM Kejriwal who has refused to join the NITI Aayog meeting being held today as a part of his protest against the non-responsiveness of both the LG and the Prime Minister to his demands.

On Twitter, Kejriwal wrote:

Amitabh Kant, NITI Aayog CEO, however, quashed the reports confirming that Anil Baijal is not present at the Fourth Meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog currently underway.

AAP’s plans to hold a protest march all the way to the PM’s house has hit a roadblock, with the Delhi police shutting metro gates and positioning officials to stop any movement towards Race Course Road.

On Delhi Police’s advice, entry and exit points at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station will be shut from 12 PM in light of the unsanctioned protest. It is the closest metro station to PM Modi’s residence. Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk & Udyog Bhawan are likely to be shut from 2 PM onwards. This has been confirmed by Delhi Metro.

Rakhi Birla, deputy speaker of Delhi’s Legislative Assembly and AAP member, took to Twitter to report that the Delhi Police was approaching party members to inquire if they were attending the protest march today and threatening to detain them if they did.

The four chief ministers who had extended their support to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday during the NITI Aayog meet and discussed Delhi’s “constitutional crisis”.

Spokespersons of the Aam Aadmi Party addressed the media, thanking Chief Ministers HD Kumaraswamy, Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan, and Chandrababu Naidu for extending support to the party’s protest.

The IAS Officers’ Association refuted the Aam Aadmi Party’s claim that the officers are on a strike, in a briefing to the media on Sunday, 17 June. They added that the association was “only answerable to the law and the constitution.”

The party’s protest march to Prime Minister Modi’s house was joined by members of the CPI(M).

Meanwhile, members of the party continued to raise slogans outside the Lieutenant Governor’s residence in the capital.

Even as the IAS Association denied being on strike, the protests by the Aam Aadmi Party have gathered more steam, with citizens and other parties joining in support.

The Delhi BJP today accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of resorting to a "political stunt" in a bid to form an "anti-BJP, anti-Narendra Modi" front in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari also said it was "unfortunate" that the chief ministers of four states allowed themselves to be a part of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo's "drama".

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, who is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike at the chief minister's office in the Delhi Secretariat, wrote an "open letter" to Kejriwal, asking him to look beyond "political interests" and resume work, along with his ministers.

Security deployment at Sansad Marg was increased as the protest intensified and drew closer to PM Modi’s residence.

Five prime metro stations in the heart of Delhi were today closed in view of a protest march by AAP workers from Mandi House to the Prime Minister's residence.

"As advised by the police, entry and exit at five metro stations will be closed from 2 pm onwards till further directions. The stations are -- Lok Kalyan Marg, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan and Janpath," the official said.

"However, interchange between Yellow and Violet Lines at Central Secretariat will remain available," he added.

The march which began around 5 pm is in support of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and three of his cabinet colleagues, who have been holding a sit-in at the LG office for the last one week, demanding that Lt Governor Anil Baijal direct IAS officers to end their "strike".

They also demand that the Lt Governor approve the proposal for doorstep delivery of ration.

DMK Working President MK Stalin voiced concern for the Aam Aadmi Party and slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party for “destroing the federal structure of this nation.”

Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha voiced support for the AAP government’s protest. He added that he hoped “good sense prevails” and that the Central government “does not repeat this.”

The DCP for New Delhi said that the protesters had been halted at Parliament street and told that they won’t be allowed to go any further. He reiterated that the Aam Aadmi Party had not received permission for the protest.

CNN News18 reported that the AAP had decided to end the protest for the day, after being stopped by police at Parliament Street.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responded to the IAS Officers Association’s concerns about their safety with an assurance that he would “ensure their safety and security with all powers and reseources available” to him.

He also urged them to stop their boycott of government work and urged that they continue work without fear or pressure.

Cabinet minister Satyendar Jain, who has been partaking in the sit-in at the L-G’s office, along with CM and other ministers, has been shifted to a hospital after his health deteriorated, tweeted Arvind Kejriwal.

Jain had gone on strike on Tuesday, 12 June and his sugar level had further dipped yesterday, even as he asserted that the AAP government will continue to fight for people of the city.

In a tweet, the minister had shared a copy of his health summary, which said, the ketone level in urine had increased to a "large amount".

Yesterday, a team of medical specialists had examined Jain and Sisodia, who is also on indefinite fast at the LG office since Wednesday, 13 June.

According to the health summary, Jain's weight on 12 June was 82.7 kg while he weighed 79 kg on 16 June.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal urged the prime minister to “give the green signal”to IAS officers to resume daily work and dispense their duties under the law.

Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha reiterated his request for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the strike, stating that he "trusts the PM would intervene and get the stroke over.”

Sinha also commended Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s “statesmanship,” through the course of the protest.

The Aam Aadmi Party will hold a key meeting at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence at 12 pm, ANI reported.

The JD(U)‘s Pavan Varma came out in support of the Aam Aadmi Party, stating that people urging the IAS officers in Delhi to not cooperate with the Delhi government might reap immediate political benefits but would “destroy the very foundations of our Republic in the long run.”

BJP MLA Vijender Gupta approached the Delhi High Court seeking an order to direct Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to end the AAP’s protest. The High Court heard Gupta’s petition as well as the AAP’s petition seeking an end to the strike by IAS Officers.

The Delhi High Court responded to AAP’s petition demanding an end to the strike by IAS officers stating that the strike could not end because the AAP had taken out a dharna.

The High Court asked the lawyer for the Delhi government if the AAP had received authorisation for the dharna. Additionally, it also raised the question of whether a protest inside the L-G’s residence could be called a protest.

The High Court adjourned the hearing in the matter till Friday, 22 June.

Members of the Aam Aadmi Party’s Kerala unit staged a protest in Malappuram, Kerala in solidarity with their Delhi counterpart’s dharna against the Lieutenant Governor.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh addressed the media about the crisis in the capital. “The decision to protest wasn't made overnight. We tried every other democratic, constitutional approach but the L-G wasn indifferent. With no other options left, we resorted to this,” he said.

The Shiv Sena voiced its support for the AAP government’s protest in the capital, and critiqued the Central government stating that the crisis was “not good for democracy.”

Shashank Dev, the lawyer for the petitioner against the AAP’s protest said, in a statement to CNN News18, that while the court had adjourned the hearing till 22 June, they should have passed an interim order directing Arvind Kejriwal to continue dispensing his duties as chief minister of New delhi.

Arun Bhardwaj, lawyer for the Home Ministry on the other hand, denied completely that the IAS officers had gone on strike.

After fasting since 13 June, Delhi deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is being moved to a hospital after his health condition deteriorated.

Deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, has been hospitalised at the LNJP Hospital in the national capital after his ketone level reached 7.4. Sisodia ketone level was 6.4 on Sunday, 17 June.

The IAS Association on Monday, 18 June, sharing the snapshot of a news report, said that it stood by its colleagues in the national capital. "We demand safety and security of all IAS officers and Government officials. Threats and physical violence have no place in a civilised society," it further said.

The deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, who was hospitalised on Monday afternoon, after his health deteriorated, is being kept under observation by the doctors at the LNJP Hospital.

Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramgopal Yadav is also reaching the LNJP Hospital, where Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia and health minister Satyendra Jain were hospitalised. The two leaders have been on an indefinite hunger strike against what their party calls a "strike" by the IAS officers in the national capital.

Delhi's IAS Association on Monday, 18 June, said that it was open to a discussion with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. "The office of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi welcomes Hon'ble CM Arvind Kejriwal's appeal. We reiterate that we continue to be at work with full dedication and vigour. We look forward to concrete interventions for our security and dignity. We are open to formal discussions with the Hon'ble CM on this matter," the association said.

Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav, who met Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain at LNJP Hospital, on Monday, 18 June, said that he supported CM Arvind Kejriwal and his party's demands. "If need be, we will also participate in the sit-in," Yadav further said.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday, 18 June, targetted Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he called a "drama" playing out in the national capital.

"Delhi CM, sitting in Dharna at LG office. BJP sitting in Dharna at CM residence. Delhi bureaucrats addressing press conferences. PM turns a blind eye to the anarchy; rather nudges chaos & disorder. People of Delhi are the victims, as this drama plays out," he wrote on Twitter.

Deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, who was hospitalised earlier in the day, welcomed IAS association's statement of being “open to a discussion with CM Kejriwal”, saying that the Delhi government is committed to providing "safe and secure environment" to government officers.

Sisodia also underlined that L-G is the in charge of both "services and security". Therefore, he should be a party to the meeting to give assurances related to aforementioned subjects, Sisodia added.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has thanked former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and SP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav for "raising the voice in favour of democracy," and standing by the people of Delhi.

Spiritual Guru Acharya Pramod Krishnam and CPI National Secretary and Rajya Sabha member D. Raja met deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia and health minister Satyendra Jain, who were admitted to LNJP Hospital in New Delhi after their health deteriorated.

Delhi BJP Manoj Tiwari on Monday, 18 June, visited the Delhi Secretariat and met party leaders and IAS officers. The Delhi BJP chief also questioned if Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently staging a sit-in at L-G's residence, was even "fit to hold the office" of the chief minister.

RJD leader and Lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav has also criticised the BJP over the current impasse in the national capital. “If there is anyone who has stopped developmental work, be it in Bihar or Delhi, it is the BJP. The BJP can take any step for political gain. What is the reason for Lt Governor not meeting Delhi CM?”

The Delhi Congress has accused the AAP and BJP of being involved in "air conditioned dharna politics" at a time when people in the national capital were facing "water crisis" and air pollution issues.

In a meeting chaired by Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken, a resolution was passed that sought attention of the chief ministers who visited Delhi and extended support to their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal.

"The resolution condemns the air-conditioned dharna politics of the Kejriwal government and the BJP leaders at a time when the city is facing acute water and power shortage, severe air pollution and sanitation crisis," Maken said.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and cabinet minister were discharged from the LNJP Hospital today, an official said.

Health Minister Jain was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night after his condition had deteriorated. Sisodia was rushed to the hospital around 3 pm yesterday after the ketone level in his urine rose sharply and his sugar level dropped.

Medical Superintendent of the LNJP Hospital J C Passey said, "Both the ministers were discharged around 10 am. Their health parameters, including ketone level in urine are normal now."

This morning, Sisodia had tweeted that he was "recovering fast" and would try and resume work from today.

The party said that senior leaders Ashutosh and Sanjay Singh would address the media at noon.

The Supreme Court refused an urgent hearing on a plea seeking its direction to declare as "unconstitutional" the sit-in of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues inside the lieutenant governor's office here.

A vacation bench comprising justices S A Nazeer and Indu Malhotra said the plea would be listed for hearing after the summer vacation.

Lawyer Shashank Sudhi, appearing for petitioner Hari Nath Ram, sought the urgent hearing of the plea, saying a constitutional crisis has been created due to "the unconstitutional and illegal" protest by the chief minister inside the L-G's office here. Moreover, the citizens are "left high and dry", he said.

Sudhi said the Delhi High Court, which had heard the matters on the issue yesterday, has now posted them for hearing on June 22 and that the city is facing an "emergency situation" in which citizens are facing severe water crisis. "We will list it on reopening of the court," the bench said, while declining the request for urgent hearing.

Besides seeking declaration of the sit-in as unconstitutional, the plea also sought initiation of perjury proceedings against either the chief minister or the office of the lieutenant governor (L-G) on the ground that one of them is lying.

Senior AAP leaders addressed the media about the party’s sit-in protest at Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s residence, urging the L-G to meet them to find a solution to the political deadlock in the capital.

AAP leader Somnath Bharti tweeted that two MLAs of the party had been forcefully evicted from the Lieutenant Governor’s residence by the police.

L-G Anil Baijal has written to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, requesting him to meet the officers at the Delhi Secretariat so that apprehensions and concerns of both sides can be suitably addressed through dialogue in the best interest of the people of Delhi.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, hours after the BJP brought down the curtain on its alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, attacked the saffron party, saying that he will not let Delhi suffer because of "dirty politics of Modi government".

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has called off the party's sit-in at L-G Anil Baijal's residence after the latter requested him to meet all the officers at the Secretariat to iron out the differences between the concerned parties.

Deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, on Tuesday, 19 June, said that after the Aam Aadmi Party's appeal to the officers, some of them attended the meetings today. "The officers also indicated that they had received directions from the top to participate in the meetings," he added.

After spending eight days on a sit-in at L-G's residence, Arvind Kejriwal returned to CM residence on Tuesday to a resounding cheer from the party workers. The AAP declared it as a "victory for the people and democracy".

Addressing the party workers, Kejriwal said: "We have nothing against IAS officers, 99% of them are good people, we have worked with them to improve governance in Delhi. They were just a front for interference by central government and L-G."

The Delhi CM also said that he will continue this struggle till Delhi becomes a state.

AAP's Seemapuri MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam took to Twitter and shared a photograph that featured IAS officers taking part in meetings. Gautam called it a victory for democracy and the constitution. "We salute the people for consolidating the democracy. We salute their struggle," he said

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal celebrates with party workers after ending his 9-day sit-in at L-G Anil Baijal’s residence.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, 19 June, called off his 9-day-long sit-in at the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's residence after the latter requested him to hold a meeting with all the officers at the secretariat and work towards ironing out differences.