The Hindu : New Delhi News : Lobbying on for DPCC berths

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Lobbying on for DPCC berths

Sujay Mehdudia

Ram Babu Likely to be re-elected, no word on controversial PCC delegates

READY FOR A SECOND INNINGS?: DPCC chief Ram Babu Sharma.

NEW DELHI: Even though Congress president Sonia Gandhi is yet to nominate a new president for the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, hectic lobbying has already begun among various sections within the party to gain a position of strength in the new set-up. The present incumbent, Ram Babu Sharma, is also eagerly awaiting a nod from the party high command before embarking on his plans to rejuvenate the party.

Although re-nomination of Mr. Sharma looks a certainty in the absence of any serious competition from the Chief Minister's camp or any other section, equations within the party have undergone a substantial change within the dissident group. Interestingly, even though the Pradesh Congress Committee delegates claim to have met and authorised the Congress president to nominate the new president as well as the AICC delegates, there is no final word on the controversial PCC delegates. It is learnt that the party leadership is yet to give its final nod to the complete list and still a number of names are pending due to disputes or strong objections from various quarters.

Prominent among those whose fate hangs in the balance are Shruti Chaudhary, daughter of the former Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, Kiran Chaudhary, from Delhi Cantonment; Brahm Yadav from Karol Bagh, whose name has been held up following allegations of an SC/ST atrocities case against him; Rakesh Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar constituency; and Suraj Sondhi from the Sadar area. The list of PCC delegates is yet to be notified officially and is pending with the in-charge of organisational polls, Oscar Fernandes.

On the other hand, certain senior party leaders are "unhappy'' with Mr. Sharma and the manner in which certain PCC delegates were nominated. This faction of leaders led by the Union Minister for NRI Affairs, Jagdish Tytler; former Delhi Minister Pervez Hashmi; Member of Parliament from New Delhi, Ajay Maken; former DPCC president Subhash Chopra; and some Congress MLAs are upset with Mr. Sharma for having gone all out to appease the MP from Outer Delhi, Sajjan Kumar, a charge denied by Mr. Sharma.

It is learnt that these leaders have also conveyed their sentiments to senior AICC leaders against the nomination of certain controversial leaders. Notwithstanding the differences, these leaders continue to back Mr. Sharma for re-nomination as the PCC chief and are unlikely to field any new candidate against him.

Similarly, hectic lobbying has begun within the party to get a plum post in the new set-up. With the prospects of Mr. Sharma making it through very bright, local leaders are busy lobbying with him to accommodate them in the new team. It is understood that the new team will have substantial representation from East Delhi along with the induction of Councillors in large numbers.

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