Congress in turmoil after party’s Delhi chief’s resignation

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, April 29

The resignation of Arvinder Singh Lovely as Delhi Congress president has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, triggering a flurry of reactions not only within the Congress but also drawing responses from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) amidst the looming elections.

Congress leader Salman Khurshid sought to downplaay the significance of Lovely’s departure on the electoral prospects, emphasising the party’s resilience, stating, “It does not impact the elections. A party’s image and its connection with the people is not affected by a person’s decision.”

Fellow party member Udit Raj takes a different stance, citing concerns of factionalism.

Amidst varied reactions, AICC in-charge of Delhi and Haryana Deepak Babaria confirmed the acceptance

of Lovely’s resignation by the Congress high command and acknowledged potential challenges post-resignation.

Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam reflected on Lovely’s decision, hinting at underlying reasons yet to be unveiled, while former Congress MLA Asif Mohammad Khan questioned the timing and manner of Lovely’s resignation, suggesting potential political ramifications.

Moreover, Lovely’s resignation was not without criticism towards the party’s strategies and alliances. He openly criticised the alliance with the AAP and the statements made by Congress candidates Kanhaiya Kumar and Udit Raj, casting a shadow over the party’s unity.

Responding to Lovely’s resignation, AAP leader Sanjay Singh defended the AAP-Congress alliance, crediting Lovely for his pivotal role in its formation and underscoring his support during challenging times, stating, “Lovely has played an important role in making an alliance with the AAP.”

Responding to the remark’s of the AAP leader, Lovely said when the INDIA bloc was formed, he was not the Delhi Congress chief and added that Singh is suffering from ‘trauma’ after coming out of jail.

Lovely’s departure also laid bare internal discord within the Congress, highlighting unilateral decision-making processes within the party’s leadership, as revealed in his resignation letter addressed to Kharge.