NEW DELHI: The newly constituted team of office-bearers of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) has come in for criticism for not giving adequate representation to various sections, particularly women, who are hardly represented in the new set-up. Strong resentment also prevails over the nomination of certain individuals who have a "criminal past" and corruption cases are pending against them.

Sources in the party are of the view that though DPCC president Ram Babu Sharma has managed to have his own team after almost two years of being at the helm of affairs, the new set-up does not in any way reflect the guidelines and directions of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on having more women in the PCC set-ups.

The team of office-bearers has only two women -- Darshana Ram Kumar as vice-president and Alka Lamba as general secretary -- in the male-dominated team. Some women have been accommodated as DPCC secretaries but that according to the critics hardly amounts to empowerment.

Promises unfulfilled

Sources within the party point out that when the reconstitution of the DPCC began, the Congress high command had made it clear that at least 33 per cent posts of office-bearers should go to women and that Scheduled Castes should be given adequate representation in the new team. However, this section hardly finds any representation in the 250-plus team of office-bearers.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's supporters hardly find any representation in the new team that has the stamp of Mr. Ram Babu Sharma. Senior AICC leaders also seem to have had their way by getting representations for their supporters in the new team while elected representatives from Delhi have been left out under the new criteria of not giving any posts to MPs, MLAs or Councillors.

What critics find most amusing is the long list of secretaries who seem to have been nominated in a wholesale please-all manner.

As for dissent, Poorvanchal leaders are clearly peeved over the manner in which the party has overlooked their claim and not given them adequate representation in the new set-up. "Poorvanchal people constitute almost 40 per cent of the total vote bank in the Capital but this does not reflect in the new set-up. This injustice to the community should be undone and more representation should be given to this community in the DPCC,'' said a clearly annoyed Poorvanchal leader, Nasirpur MLA Mahabal Mishra.

Allegations are also flying thick and fast that a number of office-bearers have a "criminal past" or corruption cases pending against them.

"We have only approved what had been forwarded by the DPCC president to the leadership. If any undesirable elements have crept into the new set-up, then it is the responsibility of the State leadership,'' said a senior AICC leader.

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