With Sheila as UP face, Congress has a son problem in New Delhi

It is not just the social media enthusiasts that are having their say with gay abandon on the internet. Now, even politicos, who are generally at the receiving end, are having a good time on the internet.

Former East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit -- whose mother Sheila has been handpicked by the Congress president Sonia Gandhi as the party’s chief ministerial nominee for the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh -- has unabashedly targeted his mother’s rival Ajay Maken in Delhi politics.

Writing a very nuanced article in response to a journalist’s observation that he is “on the hunt for greener pastures”, Sandeep has said: ‘‘I am in the Indian National Congress, but as far as its Delhi unit is concerned, I cannot accept a leadership whose sole objective was to discredit the Congress government in Delhi under Sheila Dikshit, which ultimately led to destroying the party itself. Interestingly, the Congress is staging a comeback on the strength of the 15 years of its rule in Delhi, which was discredited by the very person who is reaping that benefit now. As far as the Congress set up at the national level is

concerned, I am informed that I am not particularly liked for my rebellious nature and irreverent attitude. So where does that leave me? When my own party has put me out to graze, what greener pastures do I look for? So like all sensible cattle I roam around, picking grass from wherever I get it with honour and self respect. Wherever I can, in my own small way, I am trying to counter the influence of the Sangh, and trying to do what I can to help the Congress as it rebuilds itself to claim its primacy in Indian politics.” The Congress has predictably dismissed this as something of no consequence with party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad attributing it to “personal rivalry between two individuals.” But Dikshit’s observations reportedly reflect a much deeper malaise within the party. The former Delhi chief minister’s choice as the party’s face for the UP polls has almost vertically divided the party. The 78-year old’s ‘rehabilitation’ has not gone down well with her detractors. They are also using this decision to mock the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi who is now waging a losing battle on the issue of seniors versus juniors in the party. Insiders point out that Dikshit has not targeted the Delhi unit president Ajay Maken through this open expression of dissent, but also fired a few shots at the Congress vice-president. It is worth mentioning that as a young MP almost a decade ago, Sandeep was among those who batted for the emergence of Rahul’s leadership. Azad can certainly dismiss Dikshit’s assertions, but this would not snuff out the problem that has been so eloquently highlighted while describing his search for ‘greener pastures.” There is no other green pasture (unfortunately to many in the Congress, all this is not even comprehensible). They are too busy capturing the Congress, while the ‘other side’ captures India and its mindset.