Navjot, Shatru being considered for DPCC

Either of the two may be made Delhi Congress president although there are other contenders too.

New Delhi: As Assembly elections in Delhi near, two new names—former Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and actor-cum-politician Shatrughan Sinha—are doing the rounds for the topmost post of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC). In a twist to earlier speculation where Sheila Dikhsit’s son Sandeep Dikshit, J.P. Agarwal and Subhash Chopra were frontrunners for the post, this new development can be seen as an attempt to woo Purvanchali voters to counter Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari.

A senior Congress leader told The Sunday Guardian: “Every party in Delhi is now looking for Purvanchali votes and Congress too is focusing on Purvanchali and Punjabi votes. So there are high chances that Shatrughan Sinha or Navjot Singh Sidhu may become new chief of DPCC.”

However, the names of Sandeep Dikshit and Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh are also doing the rounds of Congress circles.

However, not all Delhi Congress leaders are happy as they believe that responsibility to lead the party should be given to someone who shows statesmanship and can carry forward the varied interests of the party. Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, DPCC spokesperson Jitender Kochaar said, “At present there is no leader who has the complete support of a community be it a Purvanchali or Brahmin, Jat or Punjabi. For instance you won’t see a Purvanchali leader being assured of his win just on the basis of his community votes. A leader must be one who is concerned about all issues, who has a good public image and is hard working. Today no leader can win just on gthe basis of his community vote share.”

Though speculation is rife in Congress, party sources said that it is only after Congress Working Committee appoints an interim party president that the name of the new DPCC chief will be declared. Sources also said that the decision regarding interim president of Congress may be taken before 10 August.