Arvind Kejriwal backs Tarun Gogoi's claim over Guv favouring BJP, suspects 'coop federalism'

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who has urged President Pranab Mukherjee for his immediate intervention for replacement of acting state Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya, has found an advocate in his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal.

Backing Gogoi's statement that the Governor has allegedly converted his office into an annex of BJP office, Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote, “Many CMs complaining of unconstitutional interference by Governors to favour BJP. Is this coop federalism?”

Many CMs complaining of unconstitutional interference by Governors to favor BJP. Is this coop federalism? https://t.co/DDAKB6c1jf

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 28, 2015

Kejriwal-led Delhi government has been at loggerheads with the state Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over several issues.

In a letter to the President yesterday, Gogoi alleged the continuance of Acharya as in-charge Governor of Assam would cause immense difficulty in functioning of parliamentary democracy and create fissures in the state's secular ethos.

"We had welcomed Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya to our State as we presumed that being a high Constitutional functionary, he would conduct himself fairly, cautiously and circumspectly," he said.

"However, I am pained to say that ever since assuming office, the Governor of Assam through his actions has steadily lowered the prestige of the institution of the Governor," the Chief Minister asserted.

Gogoi alleged that Acharya has been "making no distinction between his constitutional functioning as Governor of a State and his political and ideological instincts which are evidently linked to the ruling party at the Centre, the BJP, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh".

(With PTI inputs)