Decision on city Congress chief likely next month
After Haryana, it’s Delhi that has become the problem area for Congress. With the demise of Sheila Dikshit, who was the state unit chief, the party is struggling to find a new chief who will keep the party intact.
The high command is also upset with the AICC in-charge of Delhi, PC Chacko. Insiders claim that in a high-level meeting he was ticked off by the leadership over the inaction of the state unit on several issues. This includes the recent standoff in the national capital over the Ravidas temple.
The state unit was found missing in action. Several leaders of the party wanted to raise the issue at a national level to put both the state and the Central government in a corner, but nothing happened.
Mr Chacko has had a chequered past as far as his tenure as in-charge of Delhi is concerned. He was the one who was insistent on having a pre poll alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Lok Sabha elections that was opposed by many within the organisation.
Even after the then state unit chief, Sheila Dikshit, had publicly stated that there was no question of an alliance, he went on claiming that there will be an alliance. Recently, he wrote a nasty letter to Dikshit after she had formed district level committees, asking her to take his permission before making such appointments.
The delay in appointment of a new state unit chief is hampering the functioning of the party as the party cadres are presently directionless
Dikshit had complained about the letter to Sonia Gandhi, who was not the Congress president then.
Presently, the Delhi Congress is split in two parts — the Sheila Dikshit camp and the non-Sheila Dikshit camp.
The delay in appointment of a new state unit chief is hampering the functioning of the party as the party cadres are presently directionless. Mr Chacko has also lost his moral authority over many in the organisation.
When Dikshit passed away last month, he could not even visit her house where the body was kept for paying his last respects as he feared being heckled by the party men.
Several leaders have also complained to the high command that Mr Chacko was not taking everybody in the party along.
Sources said the final decision to change the AICC in-charge and appointing a new state chief can be taken as early as next month.
The former state unit chief, Ajay Maken, who had opted out due to health reasons, could be roped in or the old war horse, JP Agarwal, could be given the mantle.