The Congress on Sunday announced its opposition to the Centre’s ordinance giving control of ‘services’ back to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said the party’s stand on the issue of the ordinance is ‘very clear’ and it is going to oppose it in Parliament.

“The Congress’ stand on this is very clear. We will oppose it,” Venugopal said while talking to a news agency.

He said: “The Congress will oppose all moves by the Centre to disturb the federal structure through Governors and L-Gs, including Delhi Ordinance in Parliament.”

Venugopal’s remarks came a day before the crucial second meeting of 24 opposition parties in Bengaluru on July 17 and 18, which will also be attended by Congress Parliamentary Party chairman Sonia Gandhi.

This would be the second meeting of Opposition leaders after Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar initiated such a move after meeting all the senior leaders across the country to unite against the BJP. The first meeting was held in Patna on June 23.

Meanwhile, the AAP said the Congress’ “unequivocal opposition” to the Delhi ordinance was “a positive development”.

AAP MP and national spokesperson Raghav Chadha tweeted: “Congress announces its unequivocal opposition to the Delhi Ordinance. This is a positive development.”

After the first Opposition meeting in Patna on June 23, the AAP had said that unless the Congress publicly denounced the ordinance it would be “very difficult” for it to be a part of any coalition that includes the grand old party.

Following the Congress decision to oppose the Centre’s ordinance related to the control of administrative services in Delhi, the AAP announced that it will attend the second Opposition party meeting that is scheduled to take place in Karnataka’s Bengaluru.

The AAP took this decision in its Parliamentary Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting which was held on Sunday. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also joined the meeting through the video conference.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha, while speaking to the media after the party’s PAC meeting confirmed the same and said: “As the Congress has also made its stand clear on the black ordinance, it is decided that the party under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal will take part in the meeting of like-minded parties in Bengaluru on July 17-18.”

The BJP-led Central government brought the ordinance on the transfer and posting of bureaucrats in Delhi in May, virtually negating a Supreme Court verdict giving the elected government in Delhi the control over services matters.

The ordinance seeks to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the DANICS cadre.

Transfer and postings of all officers of the Delhi government were under the executive control of the lieutenant governor before the May 11 verdict of the apex court.

The AAP had been counting on the support of the Congress, which has 31 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP does not have a majority in the Upper House of Parliament.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had even held one-on-one meetings with top Opposition leaders across the country, soliciting their support on the Ordinance issue. The Ordinance is likely to be tabled in Parliament during the Monsoon session.