New Delhi: The Delhi Congress is now working to find a new president ahead of Assembly polls in the national capital, following the death of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president and former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Speculation is rife in the Congress camp as many names are doing the rounds. The person finally chosen will have the responsibility to lead the party in the Assembly elections.
A senior party leader close to the Gandhi family told The Sunday Guardian that among others, Sandeep Dikshit, son of late Sheila Dikshit, along with former Delhi Congress chief Jay Prakash Agarwal and Subhash Chopra are the forerunners for the highest post of Delhi Congress. There are chances that the Congress high-command may consider Sandeep Dikshit for the post as many factors may work in favour of the party in the upcoming Assembly polls. It is expected that the “sympathy factor” as well as Sandeep Dikshit’s clean image in public may yield dividends for the party in the Assembly polls. Sandeep Dikshit, who represented East Delhi constituency from 2004 to 2014, is also known for working closely with his mother, Sheila Dikshit, during her tenure as Delhi Chief Minister.
The leader also said that apart from these three forerunners, one among the three working presidents may also get elevated to the post of party president. In this case, it is being speculated that Rajesh Lilothiya’s name for the highest post of Delhi Congress can be at the discretion of the Congress high-command. Lilothiya, Congress’ Dalit face, is a former MLA from the Patel Nagar constituency. In the recent Lok Sabha polls he lost the North West Delhi parliamentary constituency. in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.
However, the appointment of the new Delhi Congress chief may get delayed as the leader said, “Since the uncertainty over a new AICC chief after the resignation of Rahul Gandhi is still looming in the party and elections in Haryana is drawing near, the appointment of a new DPCC chief may get delayed.’’
Many Congress workers, unhappy over the delay, said that in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the party suffered a lot in Delhi due to the delay in announcing the names of candidates.
The delay in appointment of a DPCC chief will also hurt the party’s prospects as the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party have already started work on Assembly polls.