Decision of Delhi Congress chief likely next month

Senior party leaders said that All India Congress Committee (AICC) Delhi in-charge PC Chacko and the three Delhi Congress working presidents had met Congress’s interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday to discuss the party’s working in the state.

With an eye on the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year, the Delhi Congress is likely to find a successor for former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit by next month.

Dikshit was heading the party’s operations in the city till her on July 20. (HT image)

Dikshit was heading the party’s operations in the city till her on July 20.

Senior party leaders said that All India Congress Committee (AICC) Delhi in-charge PC Chacko and the three Delhi Congress working presidents had met Congress’s interim president Sonia Gandhi on Monday to discuss the party’s working in the state.

However, there was no discussion on the probable candidates for the state unit chief.

“The final decision will be taken by Soniaji. The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) leaders have not been asked for their opinions yet,” said a senior Congress leader.

He said that the central leadership knows the potential of the leaders in Delhi and if Sonia Gandhi feels the need to get opinions from the state unit, she will personally call leaders for meetings.

“There are some front runners, but the deliberations will begin after August 22,” the leader said.

Chacko said that in past meetings a list of probable candidates were submitted to the AICC. Though, he did not reveal the names of leaders who are being considered for the position, state leaders said that former DPCC chiefs Ajay Maken and JP Aggarwal, former Delhi Assembly speaker Yoganand Shastri and DPCC working president Haroon Yusuf are being considered for the position.

“The final call will be taken by the party president. The idea will be to bring a face with mass appeal, who can connect with the people of Delhi and keep the party cadre together,” Chacko said.

The party is working towards reviving its Delhi unit after ending on a distant second in the Lok Sabha elections. In five of the seven parliamentary constituencies, Congress candidates lost to the BJP with a margin of over 2 lakh votes. In two other seats, Congress candidates came third.