JOIN USFormer chief minister Sheila Dikshit has told Congress central leaders that she will not contest the upcoming Assembly polls even as the party has firmed up plans to renominate all the eight leaders who won the 2013 polls.
Sources said Dikshit has also ruled out that any of her family members would contest the polls.
The former chief minister’s communication with party chief Sonia Gandhi has put to rest speculation that her daughter Latika Syed might join the electoral battle from the New Delhi constituency – a seat Dikshit represented thrice.
“Dikshit’s unwillingness to contest the polls would now force the Congress to look for a strong candidate for the New Delhi seat from where Aam Aadmi Party’s leader Arvind Kejriwal is likely to contest the election,” said a former Congress legislator.
The Congress, which suffered a big defeat in the 2013 Assembly polls which reduced its numbers in the House from over 40 to eight, has also decided to release its first list of candidates by December 25.
The election manifesto committee chief A K Walia said: “We are in touch with groups of professionals and residents to identify the issues of their concern.”
“The response on the Facebook to suggestions sought for manifesto is very good,” he said.
Congress general secretary P C Chacko is likely to chair a meeting of the election committee where the names of the candidates featuring in the first list will be decided.
“The first list may have names of about 35 candidates,” said a party leader, hinting that A K Walia and Subhash Chopra could also figure in the first list.
Observers appointed
Meanwhile, the Congress party chief has also appointed observers for the upcoming party district and Assembly elections.
Former Haryana minister Ajay Yadav and other Congress leaders from his state and Rajasthan, including former MPs and ministers, have been roped in for poll management in Delhi.
The observers for the polls in 14 districts will also help improve booth level arrangements in the 70 Assembly seats.
Over 1,100 Congress ticket aspirants filed applications for contesting the upcoming Assembly polls. The process for depositing the forms closed on Sunday.
As compared to the last Assembly elections, there has been a drop in the number of party seekers. In the last elections, 1,700 party members had filed applications to get a party ticket.