NEW DELHI: The elevation of the Member of Parliament from New Delhi, Ajay Maken, as Union Minister of State for Urban Development might not be good news for Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit but it certainly is an indication of the new political order that the Congress leadership plans to put in place in the Capital with an eye on the future of the party as well as its Government.

Interestingly, as soon as Mr. Maken was dropped as AICC secretary in the last reshuffle, tongues had started wagging that he had been isolated for going overboard and leading a crusade against Ms. Dikshit. The Chief Minister's camp was jubilant and projected the whole situation as a major setback to her archrival. However, the party high command had other things in mind and went on to hand out a bigger assignment to Mr. Maken much to the discomfort of his adversaries.

Observers are of the view that Mr. Maken's elevation indicates not only his growing stature and smooth equation with the leadership but also the beginning of a new political order in the Capital as far as the Delhi Congress is concerned. "The party leadership has taken a bold step to project Mr. Maken in a new avatar. It could mean the end of the road for the veteran leaders of the party who have ruled the roost for decades. The attempt is to project a young and experienced leadership keeping in mind with the changing perception and taste of the electorate especially in the Capital," a senior party leader remarked.

Similarly, through Mr. Maken's promotion, the high command has sought to send across a message that nobody is above the party or the leadership and any individual pursuits would be cut to size. There is already talk of Mr. Maken being elevated to the present position with some other agenda in mind. And giving him the Urban Development Ministry is meant to not only enhance his image but also project him as the future leader of Delhi who is clean, efficient and hard-working. Mr. Maken has already proved his credentials while working as Power and Transport Minister in the Delhi Government and also in his short tenure as Speaker of the Delhi Assembly. "When Mr. Maken was part of the Sheila Dikshit Cabinet, the Government had a very different image, that of a working set-up. Since his departure, things have not only slowed down but the Cabinet has come to be identified as a divided and inefficient lot," a senior official stated.

As far as the party MLAs are concerned, there is jubilation among a majority of them at the elevation of Mr. Maken. Congress legislators confess in private that it is an indication of a new beginning and the elevation had been done with the future in mind.

However, Mr. Maken has a tough task on hand as he now represents not only his constituency but also the aspirations of entire Delhi.

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