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Infighting indicative of Sonia's weakening authority: Khurana

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI DEC. 10. The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president, Madan Lal Khurana, today said the infighting within the Congress party over who would be the next Chief Minister of Delhi was indicative of the weakening of the authority of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, in the aftermath of the humiliating defeats in the recent Assembly elections in North India. Also, the next Congress Government in Delhi would begin its work with the handicap of having to deal with severe factionalism within the State unit, he added.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Khurana said the happenings in the Congress camp during the past six days had proved that it would not be able to give what it had promised to the people of Delhi. "It is a shame that even a week after the polls results were declared, the Congress is unable to choose its leader for Delhi and put an end to the state of paralysis prevailing in the administration,'' said Ms. Khurana, adding that the emergence of dissidence immediately after the polls were an indicator that all was not well at the top.

``Ms. Dikshit was projected as the Chief Minister, although not officially, at the instance of Ms. Gandhi. Despite the backing of the Congress president, she has been facing problems in becoming the Chief Minister for the second time. This clearly reflected poorly on the leadership qualities of Ms. Gandhi and indicated the erosion of her authority within the party. The Congress high command is very weak today and is being bullied by forces within,'' he remarked.

Mr. Khurana said by adopting such tactics, the Congress was dishonouring the verdict of the people. "The Congress Legislature Party could not elect a leader that has delayed the formation of a new Government. Things have come to a standstill in the administration and the people of Delhi should think over if they have done the right thing by bringing into power such an indecisive party. The standing of Ms. Gandhi had suffered immensely and Ms. Dikshit would also face a lot of problems in her second term,'' he said.

In fact, Mr.Khurana said according to his information, Ms. Dikshit was facing strong opposition within the party and some senior Congress leaders were also in touch with the BJP. Asked why the BJP had not held a meeting of its Legislature Party, Mr. Khurana retorted that he was waiting for the Congress show to be over before deciding on his party. Asked if there was a dispute over who would be the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Khurana said it was an internal matter of the party and the BJP MLAs and its high command would decide it.

On the issue of his quitting the Assembly seat, Mr. Khurana said he had offered to his party high command a three-point formula and would wait for a final hearing with the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, before taking up his next assignment. "I have offered them three options. It could be anything. The party might want to utilise my services in the northern States before the Lok Sabha polls and it could also be continuing with the Lok Sabha with some position. It is all up to the party high command,'' he added. Asked if he would opt to be a Governor if asked by the party leadership, Mr. Khurana quipped: "I have left everything to the high command and will remain silent till then.''

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