Dissent brewing in Delhi Cong?
Party plays down ticket row, calls it ‘media creation’ Says ticket distribution ‘most transparent’
The Congress party, that has been on choppy waters ever since the Delhi Assembly polls in 2013, is now facing a fight after the senior leaders protested against denial of municipal election ticket to “deserving candidates.”
After former city minister A.K. Walia, several other senior party leaders, including former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and her Cabinet colleague Haroon Yusuf, have reportedly expressed their concern over the way the state leadership had picked up contestants by ignoring recommendations made by them.
Alleging the “utter neglect” of efficient party workers, former party MLA Amrish Singh Gautam left his party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on April 3, while Dr Walia had threatened to quit.
While the party claims to have tip-toed its every move in consultation with senior AICC leaders, the Delhi leaders are feeling left out. The party which now claims to be on campaigning mode, is trying its best to brush the reports of dissent under the carpet.
Speaking to this newspaper, Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said the party is all set to campaign, “I will not comment on these this issue. We are already campaigning for polls,” he said.
The former Delhi transport minister Haroon Yusuf told this newspaper that there is dissent but the party workers are focusing on the campaigning for the MCD polls, “This happens in every election, for me and the party workers the Congress comes first. We are already in campaign mode irrespective of the dissent.” Earlier, he had said that, “We have been associated with the party for long and we have contributed a lot to the party. It is true that the local Congress leadership was ignored including me. But I will never go against the party,” he said. Dr Walia had said, “I have written a letter to Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken, complaining against irregularities and violation of party rules in ticket distribution and if things do not change, I will quit the party.” Earlier the party downplayed Dr Walia’s resentment with chief spokesperson of Delhi Congress Sharmishtha Mukherjee terming it to be a “creation” by media. “It has been much hyped by media,” she said. Former Delhi Congress President Subhash Chopra said that the ticket distribution was done in the “most transparent” manner by the party and claimed that Dr Walia was not going anywhere.
The MCD polls are critical for the party’s morale and its revival in the capital, any dissent at this juncture could cause heavy damage to the party’s image.
The party candidates have vociferously expressed their concern over the distribution of tickets.
Ajay Maken Delhi Cong chief
I will not comment on this issue. We are already campaigning for the municipal polls