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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Ahead of UP elections, Sheila Dikshit says open to any role Congress gives her
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Ahead of UP elections, Sheila Dikshit says open to any role Congress gives her

Speculations are rife that Sheila Dikshit or Priyanka Gandhi may take charge of the Congress's campaign in Uttar Pradesh election

A file photo of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Photo: PTIPremium
A file photo of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Not ruling herself out as the Congress party’s choice to lead its campaign for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in 2017, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday also batted for Priyanka Gandhi as the face of the party for the elections.

“Let’s not be presumptuous and wait for the announcement to be made by the party. I will assume whatever role the party thinks befits me," Dikshit said at an interaction with the media at the capital’s Indian Women’s Press Corps.

Ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh polls next year, where the Congress is looking to revive its electoral fortunes, a section of the party leadership is of the view that Dikshit should be made part of the campaign. Party workers have also voiced support for their longstanding demand that Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gandhi be asked to at least lead the party’s campaign if not be named as the chief ministerial candidate.

Dikshit said any move to make Priyanka Gandhi the chief campaigner for the Uttar Pradesh elections would be “welcome".

“If she joins, she will be welcome. She is familiar with Uttar Pradesh; thus, will be the correct person for the job. She will be an asset to the party," she added.

With the elections drawing close, speculation over either the three-term Delhi chief minister or Priyanka Gandhi taking charge of the Congress’s campaign in the state have gained momentum. Though Dikshit refrained from making any statement unless the party makes an official announcement, she did admit to telling the party that it did not have much time to prepare for the election.

“Time at our disposal is less. The Samajwadi Party has already started campaigning, while the Bahujan Samaj Party is also close to launching its campaign. In this situation, we do need to gear up and I have conveyed this to the party," she told reporters.

In the 2012 UP assembly election, Congress managed to win only 28 of the 355 seats it contested, while it suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, where it could only win two of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi were the only candidates to win from Rae Bareli and Amethi, respectively.

In a separate interview to NDTV, when asked about how she felt when she was sidelined during the 2015 Delhi assembly polls, Dikshit said, “I do feel a sense of hurt because I had served Delhi. After being elected three times, I thought I knew Delhi; but if the powers that be at that time did not think it was needed, that was their choice. In politics, requirements change. I did not convey this to the party high command; the people overseeing the election didn’t think about it; then why should I?"

Addressing mediapersons on Tuesday, Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said consultations were on with party workers in Uttar Pradesh and a decision would soon be taken.

“Uttar Pradesh’s general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad held comprehensive discussions with state party leaders and prepared a template which has been presented to the Congress president and vice-president for their approval. Whenever a decision is taken on this issue, we will make an announcement about the same. Sheila Dikshit is a part of the party’s top leadership. She has a lot of experience as a minster of the Indian government, as Delhi’s chief minister and everyone knows about her and her family’s deep relationship with Uttar Pradesh as well as her special attachment to Delhi. As far as giving any responsibility to her is concerned, the decision will be taken by the Congress leadership," he said.

To be sure, the Congress has hired election strategist Prashant Kishor, the man credited with engineering the victory of Nitish Kumar in the 2015 Bihar assembly election and the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, to help steer the party’s election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

Commenting on the role Kishor will play, Dikshit said: “He is an expert and is working with us as an advisor. Now whether that advice will be adhered to or not is up to the party."

Analysts say making a senior and well-respected politician like Dikshit the face of the party’s campaign in Uttar Pradesh will help lift the party’s image and also help the Congress consolidate Brahmin votes.

“She is a suitable person to lead the party’s charge in UP. Factions have already been divided on caste lines and in this scenario, bringing in a Brahmin face who belongs to a known political family in UP will help consolidate votes from her community. Moreover, being a seasoned politician, Dikshit will also be able to take different sections of the Congress together," said Ramesh Dixit, a Lucknow-based political analyst.

“With the kind of political clout that she holds, party workers will feel re-assured that the campaign is on the right track. Also, projecting a woman as the party’s face in a state where other parties are male-dominated will help woo women voters as well," he added.

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Published: 06 Jul 2016, 12:16 AM IST
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