In more trouble for the Congress in Delhi, a section of local party leaders has launched a signature campaign against appointment of any “outsider” to head the unit, amid talks of former cricketer Kirti Azad being considered for the post.
Further, in the continuing infighting within the party, another section of party leaders has launched a separate signature campaign for removal of AICC in-charge of Delhi unit P C Chacko.
“Kiriti Azad’s name recently figured as the new president of Delhi Congress which is not acceptable to majority of local leaders and workers,” one of Delhi Congress leaders spearheading the campaign said.
Both the camps are trying to collect the maximum number of signatures from local leaders and office bearers before sending it to Congress president Sonia Gandhi later this week.
The former cricketer and BJP MP joined the Congress in February this year.
“Azad was considered a frontrunner among the probables whose name was being considered by the Congress high command to fill the post of Delhi Congress chief,” the party leader said.
The leaders involved in the signature campaign against the possibility of appointment of Azad, claimed that an outsider like him will mean “disaster” for the Delhi Congress as it is going to face Assembly polls in next few months.
“An outsider will first have to understand the party before being able to lead it with support of all leaders and workers. By the time, he will be in saddle, the elections will be already over,” he said.
The name of the new president of Delhi Congress was to be announced earlier this week but the decision was held after a controversy erupted over former MP Sandip Dikshit’s letter to Chacko.
Sandip, son of former Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, and his supporters accused Chacko of “leaking” his personal letter to media.
Sources said Sandip’s letter held Chacko responsible for the death of Sheila Dikshit, with whom he had serious differences over the functioning of the party.
Chacko rubbished the charges, saying he had forwarded Sandip’s letter to Gandhi. The disciplinary committee of the Congress is looking into the incident.
Meanwhile, followers of Sandip Dikshit have launched a “Chacko Hatao, Congress Bachao” campaign, seeking removal of the AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress.
“We will submit a letter demanding Chacko’s removal with the signatures of all the leaders and workers supporting it to the Congress president in next 1-2 days,” said one leader associated with the signature campaign.
A senior Delhi Congress leader close to Chacko rubbished the signature campaign as an attempt by “vested interests” to settle “political score” against Chacko.
Recently, Chacko had said that he has communicated his willingness to be relieved of the responsibility of the AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress, saying he wanted to focus attention on his home state Kerala.
