Delhi budget 2023: Kejriwal asks Centre to end tussle, cooperate with Delhi government

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's tussle with the Centre isn't new. The tug of war between the two keeps going on at various times. Rarely do they offer an olive branch to each other.   

At the Delhi assembly on Tuesday, it was one such scene, where Kejriwal evoked terms such as reciprocity and brotherly love for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Delhi chief minister was speaking during Delhi's annual budget, which was tabled in the assembly after the Ministry of Home Affairs approved it in the early hours of the day. 

Such words of praise came a day after Kejriwal claimed that the MHA was deliberately stopping the Delhi government from presenting the budget.    

On Tuesday, Kejriwal said that he wants to work together with the central government, and if Modi supports him, he will reciprocate the effort.

Addressing the Delhi Assembly, the Delhi chief minister said that Delhi would have been 10 times more progressive had there been no tussle between the Centre and the state government.

"The Delhi government wants to work and not fight. Fighting serves no one. We want to work together with the Prime Minister, we do not want any tussle," he said.

Calling Modi his elder brother, Kejriwal said that the PM should also reciprocate in the same way, "You are the elder brother and I am the younger brother. I will reciprocate if you support me. If you want to win the heart of your little brother, love him," he said.

Kejriwal also had a word of caution for the PM about garnering support from Delhiites.

"If the Prime Minister wishes to win Delhi, he will have to win the hearts of the people of the city first. 'This is my mantra to him'."

Speaking about what transpired between the Delhi government and the Centre, Kejriwal said that the MHA made the budget an ego issue, and wanted him to bow down.

"The budget had to be presented today. The Centre stopped it. We replied to MHA's query without making any changes to the budget, and they have now approved it. They wanted me to bow down. It's their ego and nothing else," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)