Relations between Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seem to be stabilising to some extent, with the Chief Minister attending the meeting called by the L-G on Friday and also refusing to blame the Centre for the Singapore visit cancellation.
The High Commissioner of Singapore Simon Wong had in June invited Kejriwal to the World Cities Summit 2022 to be held in the first week of August. According to officials, the file for the Chief Minister's Singapore visit was sent to the L-G on June 7.
Kejriwal’s visit to Singapore for the World Cities Summit was cancelled by the Singapore Government after the AAP convenor reportedly missed the deadline for accepting the invitation.
Reacting to the cancellation of his Singapore visit, Kejriwal said, “It would have been good if I could go and put forward my point and share with the world the work being done in India…I am not blaming anyone for it.” Saxena had last week rejected the AAP Government's proposal for Kejriwal's Singapore visit to attend a summit on August 1, saying his attendance at the Mayors' conference will set a "bad precedent".
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said it had received a request last week for political clearance for Kejriwal's visit to Singapore but it is given to understand that the host government has shared certain updates and changes in its invitation with the Delhi Government. On Friday, Kejriwal attended the weekly meeting held at Raj Niwas in the evening and after its conclusion he said, “The meeting took place in a very cordial atmosphere. It is important for Delhi that the CM and the L-G work together. There can be differences of opinion on various matters but there is no fallout between us."
Kejriwal said that many issues such as water, and sanitation were discussed in the meeting and asserted that both would keep working together.
Kejriwal had skipped the weekly meeting last Friday and also an event organised by the Delhi Government’s forest department on Sunday.
On July 27, Saxena had asked the Delhi Assembly Speaker to make changes in rules for the conduct of business and procedure of the House according to the GNCTD (Amendment) Act, 2021, a move that is likely to be a new flashpoint between him and the AAP.