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‘People like change, a vote for change means Congress’: Sheila Dikshit
Given charge of Delhi Congress a couple of months ahead of Lok Sabha elections, former chief minister Sheila Dikshit says the party is all set to take on two opponents - the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.
Given charge of Delhi Congress a couple of months ahead of Lok Sabha elections, former chief minister Sheila Dikshit says the party is all set to take on two opponents - the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.
In an interview to Hindustan Times, she criticised the AAP for taking credit for development work started during her tenure and the seven BJP MPs for doing little for the city. Edited excerpts:
Q. Now that both the Congress and the AAP have ruled out the possibility of an alliance in Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, who is your main opponent-AAP or the BJP?
A. All those who are against us. We are contesting keeping the AAP in Delhi and BJP at the Centre in mind.
Q. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been asking people not to vote for Congress as it would mean victory for the BJP. Your comment.
A. Why do I have to comment on Mr Kejriwal? Please, I’m Sheila Dikshit.
Q. But won’t this three-way contest split the anti-BJP votes?
A. Why do you think that it will only hurt us, and not anyone else? Why won’t it [split in votes] help us? We are not an unknown party, not a new party. We are a party that has worked for the country.
Q. The BJP will talk about the Modi government’s achievements, the AAP will showcase its work in Delhi in the last four years. What will be the focus of your campaign in Delhi?
A. We are going to focus on development. Whatever the AAP is talking about is all done by us. The Signature Bridge is our creation. It was designed by us, selected by us. It is just that they had the opportunity to open it. This doesn’t mean that they have done anything for it. Lots of flyovers you see [in the city] were started by us.
Also read | Three-time Delhi CM, Sheila Dikshit is back in the game
Q. How has the electoral scene changed in Delhi in the past few years?
A. In a democracy, people like change, and they vote sometimes for change. It may not be a good change; it may not be the best change. But they do vote for change. And this time, we are sure that they will vote for change. The AAP and the BJP are already there [in power at state and Centre] - a vote for change means Congress.
Q. So will vote for change be the thrust of your campaign?
A. We will announce that later. But I want to ask, what has happened to Delhi [after the Congress got voted out]?. Is it better than it was when we were there in power? You don’t even have clean roads. Roads are not repaired. There is filth all over.
Who got the Metro? We got the Metro. Who got CNG? We got it. Was there the kind of pollution that you see today when we were there?
Q. What about the changes made by the AAP in healthcare and education?
A. What reforms have they done? They have never given any results in school education. We improved it. We used to give girls money for studying in addition to free education. What are they doing? Who had started healthcare? We started it. Have they built a single hospital? We had people coming from UP, Bihar and all other places just to get treatment in Delhi.
Q. What would you say about the performance of seven BJP MPs in Delhi?
A. I only know their names. Have they done anything except put up posters about themselves? What have they done for Delhi?
Q. Will the party announce the candidates soon so that they get time to campaign? Will there be a local agenda in these elections?
A. We will announce the candidates very shortly. The candidates will be local and they can make an agenda for their area.
Q. Unlike the BJP and the AAP, your party doesn’t have a face from Purvanchal. None of the three working presidents is from this community, which plays a decisive role in 30-odd assembly seats. Your comment.
A. The Congress has the support of the Purvahcnal community. It was Congress which gave them representation in Delhi. But then, Delhi is the national capital and has people from all over the country. We have people from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh... so don’t think it belongs to one community.
Also read | A day after taking charge, former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, team start election campaign
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