The Hindu : New Delhi News : Race for new DPCC president hots up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 24, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Race for new DPCC president hots up

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, JULY 23. With the elevation of Chaudhary Prem Singh as the Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, the Congress high command is likely to announce the new president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee shortly. Political observers feel a race of sorts has begun among the various claimants in the Congress for the post in which caste and community combinations are likely to play a major role.

Mr. Prem Singh had resigned as the DPCC president on July 16 after he was nominated for the post of Speaker. Since then the post has been lying vacant and the party high command is keen to fill it up at the earliest. The DPCC vacancy has once again triggered a power struggle within the party with one faction trying to upstage another by playing the caste or community card. However, insiders in the party informed that the new incumbent would be chosen by the AICC leadership and may not be a pro-Sheila individual.

Interestingly, after the rehabilitation of Mr. Prem Singh, the former DPCC president, Subhash Chopra is also a frontrunner for the post. Mr. Chopra had resigned in June last year following his elevation as the Speaker and has pleaded with the party high command that he deserved the same kind of treatment as given to Mr. Prem Singh. The DPCC had emerged stronger financially and organisation wise during the tenure of Mr. Chopra and the party leadership may decide to give him his due. By going in for Mr. Chopra, the party would like to address the concerns of the Punjabi community who are feeling left out since the ouster of Mr. Chopra and then Ajay Maken from the Delhi scenario.

Similarly, among the Vaish leader, former Member of Parliament, J.P. Aggarwal, is a strong contender. Having been denied the party ticket from Chandni Chowk, it is felt that the party may like to rehabilitate him and thereby address the hurt feelings of the powerful Vaish community.

He is being reportedly backed by the Union Minister for NRI Affairs, Jagdish Tytler. The name of the senior Congress leader and Minto Road MLA, Tajdar Babar is also doing the rounds. Ms. Babar has held the DPCC president's office in the past also and is a recognised face among the Muslims of the Capital.

The New Delhi Member of Parliament, Ajay Maken and some of the powerful AICC leaders are in her favour. Another contender among the Muslim leaders is the former Minister, Pervez Hashmi, who has since been made a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee but removed as the AICC secretary. Mr. Hashmi has a good equation with the AICC leaders and is seen as an aggressive personality.

However, the elevation of the Janata Dal (S) MLA, as the Deputy Speaker, is likely to bring down the race for the post between a Punjabi and Vaish candidate.

The Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, is keen on the candidature of former Minister, Narendra Nath, but could face rough weather in view of the changed political equations in the AICC.

"A decision on the new DPCC president is likely to be taken this week. The matter will be discussed with the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and a decision will be taken keeping in mind all equations and combinations,'' a senior party leader remarked.

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