Sheila Dikshit’s losing record in Uttar Pradesh makes state Congress leaders wary

NEW DELHI: Senior UP Congress leaders have conveyed their displeasure to the Congress central leadership about the effort to project former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as the party’s campaign face in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, reminding the party brass that Dikshit had in fact, lost three Lok Sabha elections from the state since 1989 before being moved to Delhi politics in 1998.
The UP Congress leaders conveyed their views after persistent reports that Congress’ campaign strategist Prashant Kishor had recommended Dikhsit to head the UP Congress campaign committee, which would make her appear as the Congress chief ministerial candidate. Apart from being Delhi CM thrice, her backers argue, that her projection “will impress the Brahmain voters, given that she is the daughter-in-law of late Congress stalwart Uma Shankar Dikshit”.

However, UP Congress leaders said that while Dikshit got elected to the Lok Sabha from the Kannauj seat in 1984 by riding on the post-Indira Gandhi assassination wave and became the minister of state in Rajiv Gandhi’s PMO, she subsequently lost three Lok Sabha elections from UP. Her last UP outing was in 1996 when she lost as a nominee of the breakaway Congress (Tiwari) party.

“While there can be 24X7 projection in Delhi about Sheila Dikshit ji’s impressive credentials to head the Congress campaign in UP, it does not match with the history of her electoral track record in UP and thus the informed perspective,” said a former UP Congress leader who was part of the AICC deliberations.

“For UP Congress, our first preference is Priyanka (Gandhi Vadra) ji to lead the party campaign,” said another senior party leader.

“Interestingly, when some of her well-wishers prevailed upon Sonia ji to give Sheila ji a leadership post after she lost yet another Lok Sabha contest (this time from East Delhi), the Congress president offered her two options in 1998 -- either to head PCC of UP or Delhi. Dikshit ji played safe and chose Delhi PCC presidentship and the rest is history,” said an informed senior leader who was privy to the script behind Dikshit’s 1998 elevation.

“For two decades, Sheila ji is not active in UP politics as she is busy in Delhi. She is now 78. The Dikshit family, even during Uma Shankar Dikshit ji’s time, did not have the same sway on Brahmin voters as Kamalapathi Tripathi ji had. Further, Sheilaji is seen more as a Punjabi daughter-in-law in UP (she is Punjabi by birth),” said a former Congress MP from UP.

The other view is that her profile, experience and Punjabi-origin make her more suitable to be AICC incharge of Punjab elections. If that happens, Dikshit will be seen squaring off again with her electoral terminators in Delhi -- Kejriwal-led AAP.

Amidst rising speculation about her likely elevation as either UP Congress’ face or the new AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab, the 78-year-old Dikshit has been quick to clarify that she is willing to take up any job provided the leadership decides fast.