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Jung Rejects Appointment Made By Kejriwal Govt, AAP Says Won't Pay Heed To What He Says

Jung Rejects Appointment Made By Kejriwal Govt, AAP Says Won't Pay Heed To What He Says
Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal greets after inaugurating the Bawana water treatment plant (WTP) at Bawana in northern Delhi state on April 21, 2015. With a capacity of 20 million gallons daily (MGD), the plant is expected to boost the capital's water supply. AFP PHOTO / SAJJAD HUSSAIN (Photo credit should read SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images)
SAJJAD HUSSAIN via Getty Images
Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal greets after inaugurating the Bawana water treatment plant (WTP) at Bawana in northern Delhi state on April 21, 2015. With a capacity of 20 million gallons daily (MGD), the plant is expected to boost the capital's water supply. AFP PHOTO / SAJJAD HUSSAIN (Photo credit should read SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI — Soon after bureaucrat Rajendra Kumar was made the principal secretary (services) by the AAP government on Monday, Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung rejected his appointment saying it did not have his approval.

These developments further escalated the tussle between the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government and the Lt. Governor.

Kumar was made principal secretary (services), replacing Anindo Majumdar.

Earlier, Majumdar, who had issued the order posting Shakuntala Gamlin as acting chief secretary, was barred from entering his office at the Delhi Secretariat. His office in the secretariat was locked in the morning.

"Kumar has been given charge of the principal secretary (services) of the government of Delhi," said an official of the Delhi government.

Reacting to the appointment of Kumar as principal secretary (services) by the Delhi government Lt. Governor Jung shot off a letter to Kejriwal declaring Kumar's appointment in place of Majumdar "void".

In his letter to the chief minister, Jung said that he rejected Kumar's appointment as it did not have his approval.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia confirmed that he had received the letter.

Letter received from Hon. LG at 14.35.

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) May 18, 2015

In a letter to Jung, AAP government sought Prime Minster Narendra Modi's intervention's in the tussle between the two over the postings and transfers of bureaucrats in the national capital.

"We received your letter today. What you have written is against the Constitution and that's why we cannot pay heed to it. In this matter, our chief minster (Arvind Kejriwal) will write to the prime minister," a government source quoted to IANS from the letter to the Lt. Governor.

The tussle had erupted on May 15 over the appointment of Gamlin as the chief secretary in-charge, who the chief minister accused of lobbying for power distribution companies.

Kejriwal on Sunday had attacked the Modi government over the row pertaining to Gamlin's appointment as acting chief secretary of Delhi, saying it was meant to trip his government.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.