NEW DELHI: The assertion by AICC general secretary in-charge Delhi, Ashok Gehlot, ruling out change in leadership at the local unit of the party has come as a shot in the arm for Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ram Babu Sharma. Also, it has set at rest speculation about any imminent reshuffle in the Delhi Cabinet.

"Both Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and DPCC president are sailing in the same boat,'' Mr. Gehlot had remarked at the one-day convention of Congress workers held here this past Thursday. Political observers are of the view that the remarks by Mr. Gehlot are an indication of the mindset of the party high command that has taken a decision to continue with Mr. Sharma despite efforts by the Chief Minister's camp to seek his removal during the past two months. Amid rising speculation about the future of Mr. Sharma, a list of names of possible successors had also cropped up. They included Rajya Sabha MP J.P. Aggarwal, Delhi Health Minister Yoganand Shastri and even former DPCC president Subhash Chopra.

The Chief Minister's camp had made several representations during the past few months to the party high command seeking the ouster of Mr. Sharma. Incidentally, Mr. Sharma's position within the party also came under threat after his reported alliance with Outer Delhi MP Sajjan Kumar and former MP R.K. Anand offended people like Mr. Chopra and former Minister Pervez Hashmi who parted ways with Mr. Sharma and joined hands with the loyalist group. This coupled with the failure to get the list of DPCC office-bearers cleared by the party high command had set the tongues wagging about the future of Mr. Sharma.

However, Mr. Gehlot's remarks have changed everything and Mr. Sharma is back with renewed vigour. Not only have the remarks strengthened the position of Mr. Sharma but also made it clear that the party leadership was not in a mood to entertain the request of the Chief Minister for a Cabinet reshuffle. It is learnt that Ms. Dikshit had written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on a number of occasions seeking her nod for making changes in the Cabinet in order to ease out inconvenient Ministers and also lure known dissidents. However, it is understood the leadership has turned down the request for any Cabinet reshuffle exercise in the near future and in turn asked the Government to concentrate on governance.

"The division within the Cabinet is a well-known thing. Ms. Dikshit has reportedly promised berths to some MLAs including two women legislators and two former Ministers. However, the aspirants for Ministerial berths will have to wait as things will move only after MCD elections early next year,'' a senior party leader stated.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail