Sheila Dikshit elbows out rivals from candidate list
The Congress might have decided to wait until after Diwali to release its first list of candidates for Delhi assembly elections to avoid heartburn during the festival, but that has not stopped angry protesters from holding demonstrations.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The Congress might have decided to wait until after Diwali to release its first list of candidates for Delhi assembly elections to avoid heartburn during the festival, but that has not stopped angry protesters from holding demonstrations outside the party office.
The party���s unofficial list of 53 candidates for the upcoming Delhi elections has generated a lot of resentment among those left out. Many of these leaders are those who have lost out to the chief minister Sheila Dikshit���s camp.
For the second day on Monday, candidates denied seats from Rajouri Garden, Rajendra Nagar, Deoli and Rithala among other places held dharnas outside the Congress��� 24 Akbar Road headquarters.
Several of the protesters from Deoli even met the top Congress leadership with their plaints, sources said. Out of the 53 candidates selected by the party, a bulk of the tickets have gone to Ms Dikshit���s supporters. This has irked many of her rivals within the party such as Ajay Maken, Jagdish Tytler and others.
The Rajouri Garden seat, for instance, has been given to Dikshit supporter Dayaram Chandila who was formerly with the BJP. Backers of another contender, Dhulchand Lohia, held protests against this decision on Monday. The decision was, in any case, controversial as Ms Dikshit managed to get the seat by unseating MLA Ramesh Lamba, who is said to be a close to Mr Maken.
There were also protests against the candidature of Ramakant Goswami, Congress chief whip in the state assembly, from Rajendra Nagar and for the Deoli seat which has been given to Harnam Singh, known to be close to the CM.
The Badarpur seat, which has been give by the party to an ex-NCP leader Ramvir Singh Bhiduri, witnessed a resignation episode with the former MLA from the area, Netaji Ram Singh, quitting the party with two councillors.
Ms Dikshit and the most powerful of her cabinet colleagues have been given a place in the first list of 53 out of a total of 70 constituencies. These include Delhi finance minister AK Walia, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Haroon Yusuf, Mangat Ram Singal and others.
With the list not yet finally announced there is pressure on the Congress to rethink the selection of some of these ���controversial��� candidates. Whether the party, after backing its two-time chief minister, decides to accommodate the demands of its other leader could prove crucial in the Congress��� election management for Delhi.
The party���s unofficial list of 53 candidates for the upcoming Delhi elections has generated a lot of resentment among those left out. Many of these leaders are those who have lost out to the chief minister Sheila Dikshit���s camp.
For the second day on Monday, candidates denied seats from Rajouri Garden, Rajendra Nagar, Deoli and Rithala among other places held dharnas outside the Congress��� 24 Akbar Road headquarters.
Several of the protesters from Deoli even met the top Congress leadership with their plaints, sources said. Out of the 53 candidates selected by the party, a bulk of the tickets have gone to Ms Dikshit���s supporters. This has irked many of her rivals within the party such as Ajay Maken, Jagdish Tytler and others.
The Rajouri Garden seat, for instance, has been given to Dikshit supporter Dayaram Chandila who was formerly with the BJP. Backers of another contender, Dhulchand Lohia, held protests against this decision on Monday. The decision was, in any case, controversial as Ms Dikshit managed to get the seat by unseating MLA Ramesh Lamba, who is said to be a close to Mr Maken.
There were also protests against the candidature of Ramakant Goswami, Congress chief whip in the state assembly, from Rajendra Nagar and for the Deoli seat which has been given to Harnam Singh, known to be close to the CM.
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The Badarpur seat, which has been give by the party to an ex-NCP leader Ramvir Singh Bhiduri, witnessed a resignation episode with the former MLA from the area, Netaji Ram Singh, quitting the party with two councillors.
Ms Dikshit and the most powerful of her cabinet colleagues have been given a place in the first list of 53 out of a total of 70 constituencies. These include Delhi finance minister AK Walia, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Haroon Yusuf, Mangat Ram Singal and others.
With the list not yet finally announced there is pressure on the Congress to rethink the selection of some of these ���controversial��� candidates. Whether the party, after backing its two-time chief minister, decides to accommodate the demands of its other leader could prove crucial in the Congress��� election management for Delhi.
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