Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit makes way for new order in Congress

NEW DELHI: Amid controversies over her role and speculation over return to active politics, former chief minister Sheila Dikshit surprised many by attending the first Congress election committee chaired by Delhi unit president Arvinder Singh. The latter was a cabinet minister when she was the chief minister for three terms and her presence at the meet clearly signalled that she was making way for a fresh order.
The committee dominated by heavyweights sealed possibilities of infighting and projected itself as a united house. They passed a resolution leaving the decision to distribute tickets to the party high command.

A panel of names will be shortlisted from the 1,200 applications to be presented before the screening committee. A final list will go to the central election committee chaired by party president Sonia Gandhi. The party proposes to release the first list of candidates sometime later this month.

Dikshit had in an interview to TOI earlier said that she was not keen on a role in active politics. While the grapevine was abuzz over her possible return to the political mainstream, she kept herself aloof from the state party reorganization. This had triggered controversies with indications of differences between her and Arvinder Singh. Dikshit and her son former MP Sandeep Dikshit's absence from a brainstorming session for the party manifesto had reinforced the view.

However, on Tuesday the message became clear that she was in unity with the party line and had conceded to the new order taking form. Sources said that she reinforced the need to put up a united front at the meeting, which has more than 20 members on board. Former MPs Kapil Sibal, Sandeep Dikshit, Krishna Tirath and Ajay Maken were missing from the meet.

This time, while the party is clearly set to offer a generous sprinkling of fresh faces, the older lot will also be judged for their engagement with the Congress revival exercise by way of protests, demonstrations and corner meetings across assembly constituencies.