Former CM Sheila Dikshit appointed Delhi Congress president

Veteran leader and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit powered her way back into the centre stage of politics in the national capital with her appointment as president of the state unit of the Congress on Thursday, months ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Dikshit, 80, registers a comeback into Delhi politics with the crucial appointment. Interestingly, she replaces Ajay Maken at the helm of affairs in the national capital, who is known as her protégé-turned-bête noire. Maken had been appointed president of the Delhi Congress following the party's defeat in the assembly elections in 2014, when Dikshit was vanquished by Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

AICC in-charge of Delhi P.C. Chacko announced Dikshit's appointment as the new DPCC president at a press conference at the party headquarters. As expected, the party has appointed three working presidents to assist Dikshit. Devendra Yadav, a two-time MLA and AICC secretary, Rajesh Lilothia, also a two-time MLA and AICC secretary, and Haroon Yusuf, who was a minister in the erstwhile Dikshit government, have been named working presidents.

“She was the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president once, and a very experienced person, and the Congress president and the Congress high command thought that experience of the seniormost leader of Delhi should be utilised. This is the election eve, and it is time to utilise the experience of a senior leader,” Chacko told reporters.

The Congress veteran had walked back into the shadows following the electoral debacle, and Maken taking charge of Congress in Delhi was seen as a generational change. However, Maken, despite being perceived as having worked hard to revive the party in the capital, met with little success electorally. The party failed to win any of the three municipalities in Delhi, and could not register a victory in the by-elections. However, its vote percentage witnessed an improvement, and its worker strength in Delhi is said to be intact.

Maken had earlier conveyed to the party leadership, his inability to continue as DPCC chief in view of the serious health issues he is facing. He is suffering from an extremely painful spinal ailment, say sources close to the Delhi leader.

However, there has been speculation that Maken's exit may be because of his opposition to an alliance with the AAP in Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections. The central leadership of the party is learnt to be inclined to the idea of tying up with the AAP for the general elections. But Maken was opposed to allying with Kejriwal's party, contending that it would be suicidal for the Congress as the AAP has hijacked the national party's vote bank in the capital. He has also argued that the Congress' vote share has been on the upswing. Interestingly, Dikshit has said that she has no qualms in joining hands with Kejriwal electorally, despite the AAP having ended her reign in Delhi after three consecutive terms. Also, Dikshit makes a political comeback just a few months after undergoing a heart surgery.

“She is quite healthy and she is moving, she is attending functions. She has overcome her health problems and she is quite healthy and happy now. There is absolutely no problem health-wise or for her to move around,” Chacko said, responding to a question on Diskhit's health status.

Meanwhile, on a question on a possible alliance with the AAP, Chacko said there has been no discussion on the issue so far. He further said, “The Congress in Delhi is strong enough to fight on its own. We are fully prepared and fully ready to face the 2019 election on our own.”