The Hindu : New Delhi News : Revival of dissidence?

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Tuesday, Aug 24, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Revival of dissidence?

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 23. If it was the Union Minister for NRI Affairs, Jagdish Tytler, who had proclaimed after winning the Lok Sabha elections that he did not consider the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, as his leader and gave all credit for his victory to the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, today it was the turn of another senior Congress leader and Delhi MLA, Rambabu Sharma, to make the assertion.

Speaking at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting held to discuss the division of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the MLA from Rohtas Nagar is understood to have declared that it was Ms. Gandhi and her leadership that had enabled the Congress to score major victories during the 2002 MCD elections, 2003 Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha elections this year. Mr. Sharma said no one should have any false notions about his or her ability to steer the party to victory and all credit went to Ms. Gandhi and her dynamic leadership that led the Congress to such heights in the Capital.

Soon after the Lok Sabha polls, Mr. Tytler had declared that he did not consider Ms. Dikshit her leader and that was the reason he did not invite her for campaigning in his constituency. Mr. Tytler had reportedly stated that it was only the leadership of Ms. Gandhi that had enabled the Congress to register a historic win in Delhi by winning six of the seven seats. This is certainly not a very comfortable situation for the Chief Minister and indicates the growing resentment against the marginalisation of the elected representatives. It is also indicative of the revival of the dissidence movement in the Delhi Congress that had been lying in a dormant stage for the almost past more than one year, feel observers.

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