Over the past two months, following humiliating losses in the assembly poll in December and the general election in April and May, the Delhi unit of the Congress party appeared to have got its act together and was trying to rebuild itself.
But the return of three-time former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit to the capital last week after resigning as the Kerala governor threatens to destabilise the Delhi Congress once again.
While Dikshit has not yet officially announced her intention of returning to mainstream politics, her resignation as the governor of Kerala has sparked some anxiety among Delhi Congress leaders. She resigned last week amid indications that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Front government at the Centre was going to move her out, perhaps to a state in the north east.
Congress MLAs are divided about whether Dikshit should be the face of the party in the assembly election due to be held by the year-end, party officials said.
"Some still believe that she could be a catalyst for the party’s recovery in Delhi," said a senior Delhi Congress MLA. "But another section feels that the party needs to look ahead and promote young leaders."
Not so Lovely
The chief of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, Arvinder Singh Lovely, who is perhaps the front runner for becoming the party's chief ministerial candidate, has the most to lose. Even though he is Dikshit's protégé, he has been in the limelight since her departure.
As a result, Lovely and several MLAs loyal to him have been conducting low-key meetings with senior Congress leaders from Delhi, such as JP Agarwal, the former parliamentarian from the north east Delhi constituency, about how to proceed.
Agarwal was suspected to have been one of the Congress leaders who undermined Dikshit during the Delhi assembly election in December. Upon hearing about Dikshit's resignation, Lovely has met Agarwal twice, according to party officials.
For the past four months, Lovely has been holding rallies, protests and mohalla sabhas, or neighbourhood meetings, across the capital over various issues. He had also managed to prevent six Delhi legislators, of the eight who won in the state election, from joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was attempting to form the government.
In an effort to revive the Congress in Delhi, Lovely opened doors to party veterans Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who were accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and were sidelined during Dikshit’s 15-year rule as chief minister.
"For the past four months, we have been working vigorously at the ground level," said a Congress MLA. "It would be unfair if Sheila Dikshit came in and took all the credit."
The Maken factor
Another possible choice for the Congress is former union minister Ajay Maken, who has on more than one occasion hinted that he would like to be the party's Delhi chief ministerial candidate. It is no secret that Maken and Dikshit do not get along.
Some political commentators believe Maken would actually be the best chief ministerial candidate for the Congress in Delhi. "Maken is not only the strongest candidate for the Congress in Delhi, but is also among the few who have managed to maintain a clean image,” said Shiv Vishwanathan, professor at the Jindal School Government and Public Policy at the OP Jindal Global University.
After his loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party's Meenakshi Lekhi from the New Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha election, Maken has intensified his involvement with state politics and has also stepped up his activities on social media.
Maken became head of the party's media wing because of his proximity to Rahul Gandhi, which suggests that he will, along with Lovely, be a serious contender to become the party's chief ministerial candidate.
Dikshit in Delhi
Although Dikshit is certain to face a lot of resistance if she intends to get back into Delhi politics, there are a few Congressmen who want her to lead the party in the state. Last week, Congressmen Mateen Ahmed and Mohammad Asif met Dikshit at Kerala Bhawan after she met President Pranab Mukherjee and handed in her resignation from the post of Kerala governor.
In May, after the general election, the two Congressmen had recommended to party president Sonia Gandhi that Dikshit be brought back to Delhi because the party's state unit was leaderless. They do not seem to be sold on Lovely’s leadership capabilities.
"She is a recognisable name in Delhi politics and the people of this city will welcome her with open arms, keeping in mind her endless efforts to develop the capital over the past 15 years," Ahmed said. "The Congress may have lost both elections, but now the people have felt her absence and realised her worth."
After meeting Ahmed and Asif at Kerala Bhavan, Dikshit also met former Delhi health minister Kiran Walia as well as senior state party leaders Ramakant Goswami and Yoganand Shastri, who sources said are also keen on Dikshit’s return to the forefront of Delhi politics.
Dikshit's own position on the matter is still not clear, but what is evident is that her return to Delhi if not to Delhi politics, just yet, has shaken up the higher echelons of the state Congress unit.
But the return of three-time former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit to the capital last week after resigning as the Kerala governor threatens to destabilise the Delhi Congress once again.
While Dikshit has not yet officially announced her intention of returning to mainstream politics, her resignation as the governor of Kerala has sparked some anxiety among Delhi Congress leaders. She resigned last week amid indications that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Front government at the Centre was going to move her out, perhaps to a state in the north east.
Congress MLAs are divided about whether Dikshit should be the face of the party in the assembly election due to be held by the year-end, party officials said.
"Some still believe that she could be a catalyst for the party’s recovery in Delhi," said a senior Delhi Congress MLA. "But another section feels that the party needs to look ahead and promote young leaders."
Not so Lovely
The chief of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, Arvinder Singh Lovely, who is perhaps the front runner for becoming the party's chief ministerial candidate, has the most to lose. Even though he is Dikshit's protégé, he has been in the limelight since her departure.
As a result, Lovely and several MLAs loyal to him have been conducting low-key meetings with senior Congress leaders from Delhi, such as JP Agarwal, the former parliamentarian from the north east Delhi constituency, about how to proceed.
Agarwal was suspected to have been one of the Congress leaders who undermined Dikshit during the Delhi assembly election in December. Upon hearing about Dikshit's resignation, Lovely has met Agarwal twice, according to party officials.
For the past four months, Lovely has been holding rallies, protests and mohalla sabhas, or neighbourhood meetings, across the capital over various issues. He had also managed to prevent six Delhi legislators, of the eight who won in the state election, from joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was attempting to form the government.
In an effort to revive the Congress in Delhi, Lovely opened doors to party veterans Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who were accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and were sidelined during Dikshit’s 15-year rule as chief minister.
"For the past four months, we have been working vigorously at the ground level," said a Congress MLA. "It would be unfair if Sheila Dikshit came in and took all the credit."
The Maken factor
Another possible choice for the Congress is former union minister Ajay Maken, who has on more than one occasion hinted that he would like to be the party's Delhi chief ministerial candidate. It is no secret that Maken and Dikshit do not get along.
Some political commentators believe Maken would actually be the best chief ministerial candidate for the Congress in Delhi. "Maken is not only the strongest candidate for the Congress in Delhi, but is also among the few who have managed to maintain a clean image,” said Shiv Vishwanathan, professor at the Jindal School Government and Public Policy at the OP Jindal Global University.
After his loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party's Meenakshi Lekhi from the New Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha election, Maken has intensified his involvement with state politics and has also stepped up his activities on social media.
Maken became head of the party's media wing because of his proximity to Rahul Gandhi, which suggests that he will, along with Lovely, be a serious contender to become the party's chief ministerial candidate.
Dikshit in Delhi
Although Dikshit is certain to face a lot of resistance if she intends to get back into Delhi politics, there are a few Congressmen who want her to lead the party in the state. Last week, Congressmen Mateen Ahmed and Mohammad Asif met Dikshit at Kerala Bhawan after she met President Pranab Mukherjee and handed in her resignation from the post of Kerala governor.
In May, after the general election, the two Congressmen had recommended to party president Sonia Gandhi that Dikshit be brought back to Delhi because the party's state unit was leaderless. They do not seem to be sold on Lovely’s leadership capabilities.
"She is a recognisable name in Delhi politics and the people of this city will welcome her with open arms, keeping in mind her endless efforts to develop the capital over the past 15 years," Ahmed said. "The Congress may have lost both elections, but now the people have felt her absence and realised her worth."
After meeting Ahmed and Asif at Kerala Bhavan, Dikshit also met former Delhi health minister Kiran Walia as well as senior state party leaders Ramakant Goswami and Yoganand Shastri, who sources said are also keen on Dikshit’s return to the forefront of Delhi politics.
Dikshit's own position on the matter is still not clear, but what is evident is that her return to Delhi if not to Delhi politics, just yet, has shaken up the higher echelons of the state Congress unit.
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