Mamata Banerjee, who was scheduled to meet Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday evening in the national capital, was denied permission by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The West Bengal Chief Minister was to meet the AAP chief at 8 pm on 16 June along with the Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.

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Meanwhile AAP leaders’ protest march up will begin at its scheduled time at 4 pm from Mandi House to the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Modi government is shamelessly misusing its powers and institutions to stop Delhi government from working for the people,” said AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta said on Sunday.

According to AAP national spokesperson Raghav Chadha, the L-G refused to grant permission to the Trinamool Congress supremo for the meeting with Kejriwal, who is sitting on protest at the L-G’s Raj Niwas office for the last six days.

“Permission denied by LG. Extremely sad state of affairs,” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha tweeted.

Minutes before Chadha had tweeted: “West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee asks LG to let her meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal this evening at 8pm.”

WB CM @MamataOfficial asks LG to let her meet Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal this evening at 8pm

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 16, 2018

Permission denied by LG. Extremely sad state of affairs. https://t.co/s2iihd2Hyf

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) June 16, 2018

In a follow up tweet, Kejriwal accused the Centre of creating hurdles.

“I don’t think Hon’ble LG can take such a decision on his own. Obviously, PMO has directed him to refuse permission. Just like IAS strike is being done at PMO’s instance,” he wrote.

“We live in a democracy. Can PM deny Hon’ble CMs of other states to meet CM of another state? Raj Niwas is noone’s personal property. It belongs to the people of India,” he wrote in another tweet.

I don’t think Hon’ble LG can take such a decision on his own. Obviously, PMO has directed him to refuse permission. Just like IAS strike is being done at PMO’s instance. https://t.co/hKEe99s8Fp

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 16, 2018

I don’t think Hon’ble LG can take such a decision on his own. Obviously, PMO has directed him to refuse permission. Just like IAS strike is being done at PMO’s instance. https://t.co/hKEe99s8Fp

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 16, 2018

In spite of the L-G’s refusal, AAP said that the four Chief Ministers will now be visiting Kejriwal’s home to meet his wife and then march to the L-G’s office to meet the Delhi CM and others protesting there.

Banerjee attended a meeting at Andhra Bhawan with Vijayan, Kumaraswamy and Naidu to discuss a strategy to provide support to Kejriwal.

Kejriwal, along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Cabinet ministers Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai, is camping at Raj Niwas since Monday demanding a direction to the IAS officers working in the Delhi administration to end their undeclared strike, among other demands.