The Hindu : New Delhi News : All's well now, say Sheila, Ram Babu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

All's well now, say Sheila, Ram Babu

Sujay Mehdudia

Executive panel meetings to be held every month Mr. Sharma said it was the direction of Ms. Gandhi that the party was supreme and everybody had to listen to the grievances of the party workers and leaders and therefore the Chief Minister would have to be present there.

NEW DELHI: Even as the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, on Tuesday acknowledged shortcomings in her coordination with the party unit and promised to address the grievances of the legislators, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president, Ram Babu Sharma, ruled out any need for a reshuffle in the Council of Ministers. "We are satisfied with the work of the Ministers and there is no need for any reshuffle,'' Mr. Sharma told newsmen.

Asserting that the row over Ms. Dikshit's walkout from a party meeting here last week had been sorted out at the instance of party president Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Sharma announced that meetings of the executive committee of the party would be held on the lawns of DPCC every month and all Ministers as well as the Chief Minister would be expected to attend. The meetings would be held in the presence of AICC functionaries.

"If there is any kind of urgency on issues affecting the people of Delhi, then an emergency meeting of the executive committee would also be held to discuss the matter,'' he added.

Asked if Ms. Dikshit would attend the meeting, Mr. Sharma said it was the direction of Ms. Gandhi that the party was supreme and everybody had to listen to the grievances of the party workers and leaders and therefore the Chief Minister would have to be present there.

For her part, Ms. Dikshit, emerging out of a Cabinet meeting to assess the water situation in the city, conceded there might have been some coordination problems with the party but all that would be sorted out. She said all efforts would be made to address the issues raised by the party legislators and give them a patient hearing in order to avoid any confrontation.

Asserting that all matters had been settled, Mr. Sharma said the Congress president gave a patient hearing to all on Monday evening. Ruling out any kind of coordination committee, Mr. Sharma said the manifesto implementation committee had already been put in place and it would hold its first meeting within the next 10 days.

"I have time and again stated that we are not in favour of any kind of reshuffle of Ministers. We have not raised the issue of non-performance of the Ministers nor made any kind of personal attack on the Chief Minister. It was only a question of maintaining the sanctity of the party and acknowledging its supremacy over the Government,'' he said, adding that he expected the Delhi Government to address all issues, including the problems relating to power and water so that there was no cause for complaining again.

"The party general secretary in charge of Delhi, Ashok Gehlot, played a very important role in the whole affair and we are going to consult him on all important matters before arriving at a decision,'' he said.

Stating that he was concerned over allegations of corruption in appointment of the Chairman of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) recently, Mr. Sharma indicated that all such appointments would be scrutinised. "We will appoint all genuine Congressmen who are active in the party to the various Boards and Corporations. No outsider will be allowed to dominate the proceedings from now onward and the cadres would be given their due,'' he added.

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