Sheila leads the race for Delhi Congress leadership

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 5

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is leading the race for presidentship of the state Congress unit after her long time rival in the party Ajay Maken quit on Friday.

Dikshit led the Congress government in Delhi for three terms until AAP demolished the party in the 2015 state elections routing it completely.

Dikshit was also the one who favoured baking the AAP government in Delhi in 2013, a decision which in the hindsight cost the party hugely.

Once again, parleys are on between the Congress and AAP for the 2019 Lok Sabha seat arrangement in Delhi with talks not proceeding well right now.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP is seeking a lion’s share in Delhi’s seven LS seats with the Congress unwilling to cede too much space.

Within the Congress outgoing Delhi chief Ajay Maken was against an alliance with the AAP although sections in the party feel it would be important to reach an agreement with Kejriwal to prevent divisions of non-BJP votes.

Dikshit was earlier named the Congress chief ministerial face in UP for 2017 but Rahul Gandhi suddenly changes tack and decided to ally with SP at the last minute.