207. The Delhi government cannot pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the assembly until the Centre approves it.”

New Delhi, Nov 19: A day after the Delhi cabinet okayed the anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill, the BJP on Friday questioned the Arvind Kejriwal government’s move to table the legislation in the assembly allegedly without approval from the central government.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s lawmaker Vijender Gupta, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, met Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and told him that the Arvind Kejriwal government would repeat its action of February 2014 when it tried to introduce the bill without taking the Centre’s approval.

 “The Delhi government cannot pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the assembly until the Centre approves it. They (Delhi government) have a hostile attitude towards the Centre ever since they came to power and want another confrontation,” Gupta said.

 “Had they been serious about the bill, they would have brought it much earlier. Why pass it on the first day of the winter session,” Gupta asked.

The AAP government is likely to table the legislation in the assembly next week. Earlier, the government maintained it would consult the Centre before bringing the bill in the house.

On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party said the Delhi government move had baffled the BJP.

 “”Some political parties in Delhi are now feeling threatened with the passing of the Jan Lokpal bill in the cabinet. Leaders of the BJP are especially feeling uncomfortable and fear that their wrong deeds, especially in institutions like the municipal corporations of Delhi, will be exposed and a lot of people will be behind bars,” AAP leader Dilip Pandey said at a press conference here.

In February 2014, Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi chief minister as the Congress and the BJP opposed the tabling of the Jan Lokpal Bill, contending that the legislation needed the Centre’s approval first.

The AAP again stormed to power in February with the poll promise to bring the bill, winning 67 of the 70 assembly seats.