The Hindu : New Delhi News : Ram Babu Sharma takes over as DPCC Chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 09, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Ram Babu Sharma takes over as DPCC Chief

By Our Staff Reporter

Ram Babu Sharma with party leaders after taking over as the new DPCC president in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: Anu Pushkarna

NEW DELHI, NOV. 8. The 49-year-old Rohtas Nagar Congress MLA, Ram Babu Sharma, today took over as the new president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee amid great fanfare and expectations of party workers. Soon after taking over, Mr. Sharma declared that safeguarding the honour and dignity of the party workers and leaders would be his top priority.

At the very outset, Mr. Sharma, who succeeds the Delhi Assembly Speaker, Chaudhary Prem Singh, thanked the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, for entrusting him this responsibility and assured her that he would go out of his way to fulfil the trust reposed on him. A resolution in this respect was moved by the Outer Delhi Member of Parliament, Sajjan Kumar, and passed unanimously by all those present on the occasion. The Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, who came in a wheelchair, congratulated Mr. Sharma and assured him of all cooperation from her Government and Council of Ministers. The senior vice-president, Raj Kumar Kohli, conducted the proceedings. All roads leading to the 2 Talkatora Road office of the DPCC were choked with supporters of Mr. Sharma who were shouting slogans and hailing Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Sharma.

The AICC general secretary, Janardhan Diwedi; party treasurer, Motilal Vora; former Union Minister, R.K. Dhawan; Ajay Maken, Pervez Hashmi and Krishna Tirath, represented the AICC. Mr. Prem Singh was also present on the occasion along with the Cabinet colleagues of the Chief Minister and the former DPCC president, Subhash Chopra.

Mr. Sharma said he would try his best to live up to the expectations of the party workers and high command. Stating that he would go hand in hand with the Delhi Government, the new DPCC president said he would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the communal forces were not allowed to raise their ugly head in the Capital. Stating that the party workers and senior leaders would be given due respect and recognition, Mr. Sharma said he would give representation to all sections in the new DPCC set-up and the party would be run in a transparent manner. He urged the party workers to reach every nook and corner of the city to ensure that the membership drive currently going on within the organisation was a big success. "Every party worker and leader along with the elected representative should get due respect and honour at the hands of the party and the Government as has been directed by Ms. Gandhi. My first priority would be to bring into the mainstream all those who are feeling left out or sidelined during the recent months," he remarked.

Mr. Sharma's elevation is likely to change the political equations in East Delhi and have a direct bearing on the developments within the Delhi Congress.

Mr. Hashmi said that by nominating Mr. Sharma, the Congress president has boosted the morale of the party workers as a mass based leader had now taken over as the president of the Delhi unit of the party. Mr. Sajjan Kumar said that a dedicated representative like Mr. Sharma would prove to be an asset for the party in the coming days.

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