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New round of power struggle in Delhi

Sujay Mehdudia

A15- member committee set up in DPCC to take down complaints

NEW DELHI: With Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit warding off the threat to her position for the time being, it is once again back to cat-and-mouse games between the Delhi Congress and the Congress-led Delhi Government. In an attempt to outsmart each other, both groups have started picking holes in each other's area of operation citing "public concern and dissatisfaction'' leading to a new round of power struggle to gain an upper hand.

With both Ms. Dikshit and Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ram Babu Sharma having met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the recent past, there was speculation that both had been asked to work in tandem.

Interestingly, soon after his meeting with Ms. Gandhi, the DPCC president had met Ms. Dikshit and expressed "serious concern'' over the power and water situation in the Capital, citing the large number of complaints pouring in from various parts causing embarrassment to the Government. Mr. Sharma had asked the Chief Minister to issue directions to the private power distribution companies to take corrective steps to reverse the situation and work to the satisfaction of the consumers.

Thereafter Mr. Sharma set up a 15-member committee headed by party general secretary Rajinder Sharma in the DPCC to take down complaints relating to water and power from the residents of the Capital. It is another matter that according to local observers many of the members on this committee hardly have the competence to be part of such grievance redress.

Obligation

Unhappy with the manner in which Mr. Sharma had gone public with his views on the power and water crises, the Chief Minister shot off a letter to Mr. Sharma accusing him of targeting the Delhi Government and its departments and not doing anything to improve the functioning of the corruption-ridden Municipal Corporation of Delhi which has failed to fulfil its obligation of providing even the minimum basic civic amenities. It is learnt that Ms. Dikshit pointed out in her letter to Mr. Sharma that MCD elections were hardly 18 months away and it would be better if the DPCC president showed concern about its working and puts in place a plan to improve its image as well as working. Following this, Mr. Sharma on Tuesday constituted a 15-member committee to monitor the working of the Corporation and personally took a review meeting with the Mayor as well as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the MCD.

Boards and corporations

However, it is learnt that the party high command has asked the Chief Minister to take the DPCC president into confidence while re-constituting the various boards and corporations so that dedicated party workers are accommodated in them instead of the bureaucrats as is the present practice.

It is learnt that Ms. Dikshit has conveyed to Mr. Sharma in writing that she would soon be seeking names from him for fulfilling various vacancies in these boards and corporations.

"It is for the first time in six and a half year that views of the DPCC president are being sought by the Sheila Dikshit's regime. The directions of the leadership are clear in that the Government has to work in close coordination with the party and due respect is to be given to leaders and party workers,'' a senior party leader remarked.

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