Photo : PTINew Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday asked if Praful Patel, the Administrator of Lakshadweep, is being made the next Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.Presently, Anil Baijal is the Lieutenant Governor of the national capital.”Is Mr Praful Patel, Administrator of Lakshdweep, being made the next LG of Delhi?” the AAP chief asked in a cryptic tweet.The tweet comes as the Aam Aadmi Party is riding high on its landslide victory in Punjab, its first big win outside Delhi.
Is Mr Praful Patel, Administrator of Lakshdweep, being made the next LG of Delhi? undefined— ANI (@ANI) Mar 12, 2022A 1969-batch UT cadre officer, Baijal was appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in December 2016.The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government often spar with the Baijal administration over several issues. The recent flashpoint between the Kejriwal government and the LG office was the AAP’s doorstep delivery ration scheme.In July last year, the L-G had overturned the AAP government’s decision to appoint a panel of lawyers of its choice to argue cases related to the farmers’ agitation. The move drew sharp reactions from the AAP with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia saying, “What was the need of an elected dispensation if everything has to be done through the Centre via LG.”Kejriwal’s tweet has sparked speculation ahead of the MCD election. The AAP on Friday approached the Delhi high court seeking its direction to the State Election Commission to conduct MCD elections with EVMs that are compatible with VVPAT.Praful Patel, who took charge as Lakshadweep administrator in December 2021, recently drew huge backlash from the opposition and activists over his administrative reforms measures in the Union territory.Last year in May, the Kerala Assembly had passed a resolution demanding recall of Patel and requested the Centre to intervene to protect the lives and livelihood of the islanders.