Delhi Congress demands return of Sheila Dikshit in capital before polls
24 July 2014 5:38 AM IST
Unhappy with Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, two MLAs met party supremo Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday demanding a return of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in the city before re-elections.
Okhla MLA Asif Mohammad Khan and Seelampur MLA Mateen Ahmad told Sonia Gandhi that the party needs a strong leadership. ‘She agreed with the MLAs that Dikshit is the strongest Congress leader in the city and has done a tremendous job for 15 years of her rule as the chief minister of the city,’ a source in Delhi Congress said.
However, Ahmad and Khan returned without any confirmation of any possibility of return of Dikshit in Delhi. On Dikshit’s return to city politics, Congress national general secretary and incharge of Delhi unit Shakeel Ahmad said: ‘Sheila Dikshit is Governor of Kerala and is holding Constitutional post and is not a party member anymore. When she comes back to the party, then we will think over it.’
Ahmad also said they are ready for polls in Delhi. ‘Congress is ready to face the election,’ Ahmad said.
The incident also gave a jolt to the current party leadership in Delhi as many of the senior party MLAs were not happy with Arvinder Singh Lovely’s anointment as the new city unit chief.
Half of the party MLAs, including Mateen Ahmad, Hasan Ahmad, Asif Mohammad Khan, Haroon Yusuf and Prahalad Singh Sawhney are senior than Lovely and many of them were feeling neglected after Lovely’s anointment.
A senior party leader, however, maintained that there is no rift between the MLAs and the Delhi unit’s leadership.
‘There is no need to see this incident as a result of any rift between MLAs and party’s state unit. As a party legislator it is their right to discuss about strengthening the party. It is also true that nobody can take the place of Dikshit in Delhi Congress,’ the leader added.
Okhla MLA Asif Mohammad Khan and Seelampur MLA Mateen Ahmad told Sonia Gandhi that the party needs a strong leadership. ‘She agreed with the MLAs that Dikshit is the strongest Congress leader in the city and has done a tremendous job for 15 years of her rule as the chief minister of the city,’ a source in Delhi Congress said.
However, Ahmad and Khan returned without any confirmation of any possibility of return of Dikshit in Delhi. On Dikshit’s return to city politics, Congress national general secretary and incharge of Delhi unit Shakeel Ahmad said: ‘Sheila Dikshit is Governor of Kerala and is holding Constitutional post and is not a party member anymore. When she comes back to the party, then we will think over it.’
Ahmad also said they are ready for polls in Delhi. ‘Congress is ready to face the election,’ Ahmad said.
The incident also gave a jolt to the current party leadership in Delhi as many of the senior party MLAs were not happy with Arvinder Singh Lovely’s anointment as the new city unit chief.
Half of the party MLAs, including Mateen Ahmad, Hasan Ahmad, Asif Mohammad Khan, Haroon Yusuf and Prahalad Singh Sawhney are senior than Lovely and many of them were feeling neglected after Lovely’s anointment.
A senior party leader, however, maintained that there is no rift between the MLAs and the Delhi unit’s leadership.
‘There is no need to see this incident as a result of any rift between MLAs and party’s state unit. As a party legislator it is their right to discuss about strengthening the party. It is also true that nobody can take the place of Dikshit in Delhi Congress,’ the leader added.
Next Story
