Arvind Kejriwal calls off dharna after 9 days

New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday walked out of Raj Niwas here after nine days of an unprecedented sit-in protest after IAS officers began attending meetings called by his government.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Kejriwal took the decision to leave the office-cum-residence of Lt Governor Anil Baijal after IAS officers attended meetings called by Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, Social Welfare Minister Rajinder Pal Gautam and Food Minister Imran Hussain.

The officers were also responding to telephone calls from Ministers and Sisodia said he too spoke to a number of officers.

"All the top officers including the Chief Secretary were present at meetings called by Ministers on Tuesday," Sisodia told the media.

Kejriwal, who left the Raj Niwas along with his cabinet colleague Gopal Rai, will go to his house, Sisodia said.

The decision was taken within hours after Baijal wrote to Kejriwal urging him to urgently meet the officers at the Delhi Secretariat. Asked about the demand for delivery of ration to the poor at their houses, Sisodia said it can be resolved from outside also.

"When the LG has not responded on the issue in nine days, there is no point in waiting more."

Sisodia reiterated that the Delhi government had "nothing against the officers".

Kejriwal along with three of his ministers started camping at the Raj Niwas on June 11 demanding a direction to the IAS officers working in the Delhi administration to end their undeclared strike.

Two of the Ministers -- Sisodia and Satyendar Jain -- who were on hunger strike were shifted to hospital after their health deteriorated. But Kejriwal and his Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai continued their protest which drew support from several political parties in the country.